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Every single person on this planet shares the same desire… Happiness!

It is how we imagine our happiness that differs from one person to the next.

So what is the key to happiness?

Today I would like to share three of the things that I have discovered that have brought me the gift of happiness and revolutionized my personality.

1. Appreciate everything and express gratitude.

To live gratefully you simply need to become aware that every single moment is a GIVEN MOMENT. You have not earned it or brought it about in any way, and cannot assure that there will be another moment given to you. That is why KNOWING that each moment is a GIFT is crucial to happiness.

Start each day making a mental list of the blessings in your life. Don’t even get out of bed until you have acknowledged your treasures. This one simple act will change everything about your life.

2. Relying on approval of others leaves you open to abuse.

Chronic approval seeking creates a vibe that lets people know that you are anxious to please them. This often leads to you being manipulated by others. So my advice to you is to start practicing speaking your mind a little more and let the ‘consequences’ sort themselves out.

What you will find is that most of the time, nobody is offended at all- as long as you don’t deliberately set out to hurt them. Remember that if they are offended, it is likely because you’ve started to behave in a way that gives them LESS power over you.

So start today to be your own best friend. This isn’t selfish; it is simply letting people know that you are a diamond with many facets to your character. And that you deserve to be appreciated too.

3. Learn the TRUE meaning of living compassionately.

For me compassion is simply the act of accepting people and their situations exactly as they are. Allow me to illustrate my definition of compassion to you in this way:

If someone is suffering from hunger, then shouldn’t you try to feed them?

If they are thirsty, shouldn’t you offer them a drink?

If someone is in emotional pain, shouldn’t you sit down and listen to their story and then offer them unconditional love and acceptance?

Compassion dictates that you try to assist others during their time of need. You can translate these three examples into almost any situation in life, and realize compassion is proactive, not reactive.

In conclusion, I want to say that life will throw you a few curve balls. You will experience disappointment and death. That is why it is crucial that you begin today to find a place you can build a firm foundation on and construct a beautiful life upon. Practicing compassion will prepare you to live in this world where you never know what will happen next. Acceptance and gratitude will protect you like a magic shield.

These are the keys to HAPPINESS!

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Melanie Miera is the owner and operator of Humpty Dumpty Mural Magic, createing beauty in homes and offices. She is also the author of the Magical Blog.

Melanie's world was turned upside down when her son committed suicide eight years ago. Since then, she has learned so much about faith, hope and the beauty that surrounds us, writing about these things each day. Her words and her paintings are a gift to herself and a way to keep the memory of my son alive in the world.

Melanie wants to share her wisdom with as many people as possible. In her view, "When I can heal the heart of even one person...I have been successful!"

For more information, please visit humptydumptymuralmagic.com

This Post Has 23 Comments

  1. I love the “proactive compassion”… That is real. After surviving a 13 year abusive relationship/marriage, I find myself having to relearn how to be alive…how to feel…how to think. Melanie’s blog is inspirational, uplifting, and authentic. Her words never fail to open a part of my heart…leading me back home-to love.

    1. Thank you so much for reblogging this post for me. Your kind words made my day.
      I am so grateful for the chance to enter into the hearts of people through my writing. I pray daily for the inspiration to write words that heal.

  2. Wonderful words of wisdom Melanie. I love your advice on appreciation and gratitude. You’re right. We shouldn’t leave bed without first acknowledging the treasures of our lives. Every day is a gift. Appreciation and gratitude are two of the fastest, most authentic ways to change the motives of our heart…for the greater good. I’m proud of you Melanie. Well done!

    1. Thank you Ia. Your mentorship has meant so much to me. You were one of the first people to encourage me to start speaking my truth and sharing my wisdom with the world.
      You don’t know how much it meant to see you here today and read your kind words.
      God Bless!

  3. Melanie is a dear frine dof mine and I remember her family going through the loss of her son. It was a very sad time, but I have been so proud of how Melanie has taken her trials in life to learn from them. She is such a great example to me and I appreciate her honesty and the wonderful friend she has always been to me and my kids. Your Words of Wisdom are very beautifully said and I appreciate you sharing this!

    1. Thank you. It was because of my friends and family that I DID make it through those difficult times. I was never alone, and that meant so much to me. Now I am trying to pay it forward and be the light for others that you were for me.

    1. Thanks Kim. I am so glad you liked it. Your opinion matters more to me than you can ever imagine. You are one of the women I look up to in life.
      I adore you and Rod, and appreciate everything you two do for me and the kids!

  4. Thanks Mel. Happiness really is a pursuit, a journey with a desired destination and not a “given”. You shared and expressed that very well.

    1. Thanks Irene. You have had your share of trials in life the past few years and through it all you have maintained that beautiful smile of yours. You are such an inspiration to me. I have adored you since I was a young girl riding your bus to school.

  5. Melanie, I am proud of how you have built your business out of something that you love, found peace in sharing these talents and have found ways to broaden you reach to help others in their search for peace. Great post sis!

    1. Thank you Trenton.
      When Victor committed suicide, I didn’t know how I was going to even wake up the next day, let alone how I was supposed to keep on living.
      But with faith, determination, and a deep love for my son that I refused to let go of, I just kept putting one foot in front of the other.
      There were days when I only had the strength to live life one minute at a time.
      I will never forget the day, when I was at the bottom of my downward spiral, and I had a beautiful encounter with the Lord.
      That encounter changed me.
      I knew then that the Lord had a purpose for the pain I had suffered, and that I needed to start sharing my talents with the world if i was ever going to heal.
      Healing has in fact come to me, in leaps and bounds. My life is full and complete, it will always be missing something very special to me, but someday, I will see my son again and that missing piece will no longer be lost.
      I pray that by sharing my art, and my words, I am somehow helping others who are where I once was to see that there is a future for them.
      That the pain just might turn out to be their greatest teacher.
      If I can accomplish that, then everything I have lived through will have been worth it all.

  6. Well said, Mel. I especially love the gratitude and appreciation reminder. I often find that when I’m grumpy or blue it’s because I have lost my ability to recognize how good my life is and how truly blessed I am.

    1. I think that is true for all of us. We get into a rut when we focus on the tough or challenging things in life that we all experience, and forget to balance those thoughts with thoughts of gratitude. Thats why I love to stay in bed until I have a list firmly planted in my mind to refer back to during the day.
      It rally has changed my entire attitude to have this habit.

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