Here is a truth: you can be happy, even if you feel sadness, anger or suffer from anxiety. Happiness is an inner state of being that does not get lost. It stays with you even in dark times.
How can you achieve an inner state of happiness? It starts with small steps.
Gratitude. Many of us on Inspire Me Today have talked in the past about gratitude journals. Just look for a few things in each day that you are thankful for. It isn’t as hard as it seems. You can be grateful for so many things. Just the fact that you are alive is more than a good reason to be grateful.
Be thankful for a roof over your head. Be thankful for the shelter. Be thankful for the food you eat, for the clothes you wear. Be thankful for the bed you sleep in.
Even if you have no job, you can be thankful. Why? There are plenty of opportunities out there for you. You just have to choose the right one and trust your intuition and creativity.
Laugh at yourself. You might be surprised at how quickly your anxiety evaporates. Remember how much laughter can contribute to happiness even when things don’t seem to be going your way.
It may not yet be the inner state of perfect happiness. It is at least the starting point. Look around and don’t see the dark, see the spots of light, see happiness and spread happiness. It then will involve all people around you.
Happiness is contagious. It’s well worth spreading it!
Happiness is an inside job®.
Lisa Cypers Kamen is a filmmaker, positive psychology coach, author, host of Harvesting Happiness Talk Radio, professor and lecturer specializing in the field of sustainable happiness. She is widely recognized as an expert on the subject. Lisa’s acclaimed documentary film co-produced with her now fifteen year-old daughter, Kayla, “H-Factor…Where is your heart?” explores how people in varied circumstances find, generate and share happiness. In addition to her film on happiness, Lisa has also published a number of articles and books entitled, Got Happiness Now?, Are We Happy Yet?, Leadership: Helping Others to Succeed and Reintegration Strategies, about combat trauma and using positive psychology principles to create wellness in a post-war new normal. Lisa’s written work is featured on blogs for the Huffington Post, PositivelyPositive.com and InspireMeToday.com and she is a TEDx community event speaker. In addition, she is the Happiness Expert for the Florida Department of Citrus/ Florida Orange Juice in its Take on the Day campaign.
Harvesting Happiness for Heroes™ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that delivers stigma-free integrated combat trauma recovery services to warriors and their loved ones. Modalities include scientifically proven strengths based Positive Psychology coaching and interdisciplinary tools such as film, yoga, meditation, art and creative writing designed to mindfully empower the client to achieve increased self-mastery, self-esteem and reclaim her/his life. HH4Heroes focuses on the balance of mind, body and emotion resulting in greater overall wellbeing and the transformation of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) into Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG). HH4Heroes offers retreat workshops, one-on-one coaching, Battle Buddy programs, as well as our new R.E.B.O.O.T Online virtual community coaching classrooms designed to reach underserved areas. In addition, HH4Heroes deploys Return to Duty™ civilian and corporate training to help welcome a warrior home and into the community and workplace.
Lisa is committed to teaching Happiness is an inside job™ and helping others end their needless suffering through intentionally cultivating greater joy.
Love it, especially the tip about laughing at yourself. By far the happiest people I know are those that can poke fun at themselves; they have a great sense of humor and seem so laid back.