Being Happy

People talk about finding happiness, but it’s just a metaphor. Happiness isn’t something that you find. Life is not some great Easter egg hunt where you’re walking through the park and happen to peek behind a bush and huzzah! Happiness is just sitting there, minding its own business, waiting for you to pick it up and put it in your pocket.

You cannot find happiness because it must find you.

So how does this actually happen? It’s a fairly simple concept. Happiness comes in when we have contentment in our lives. Happiness cannot live where bitterness resides. Where peace prevails, that is the heart that knows what it means to be truly happy.

The modern day mad men would rather we sought happiness through the accumulation of stuff and by instigating jealousy in our neighbors and friends (how does that work, anyways?)...but a full bank account and a well appointed home never guarantees a joyful heart.

Hollywood insists that happiness comes in the form of our true love. They would have us believe that our joy is being held hostage by another person and our goal is to find them, because when we do...we shall have our happiness. Why would we place the responsibility of our own contentment upon the shoulders of someone else? Not only is that an unfair burden to force upon another human, but I think it’s time we remember that fairy tales are for children.

Can love multiply happiness? Absolutely! But how much more fulfilling the love when you have a heart ready to share the joy.

Contentment is not always easy. One must find a balance between accepting what is while striving for what could be. Seeking peace with who we are as we work to improve ourselves and plan for tomorrow. We have to find validation from within as we look for our place out in the world. Like walking on a tightrope hundreds of feet in the air, it is a delicate dance that must be performed every day.

I know it sounds odd...I didn’t believe it at first either. But once contentment fills your life, happiness moves in and surrounds you, chasing out the fear and what-ifs and inviting in the why-nots and bring-it ons.

If you are still looking...feel free to give me a call. We’ll sit a while and work on finding contentment in a piece of chocolate cake and cup of coffee. It may not be there...but it’s a good place to start.