Monday, November 17, 2008

Be happy!

There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. - Wayne Dyer

If you do nothing else of value today, do this:

  1. Write on a piece of paper (or type it up, if you prefer) the words, "Be happy".
  2. Put it up on a bulletin board, or on your refrigerator, or any place that is often passed by or viewed.
  3. Look at it often. Say the words to yourself. Feel the words within yourself.
  4. Be happy.
You cannot know that achieving success or getting married or traveling the world are going to fulfill you. But you can know that you can be happy whether you get what you seek or not. Happiness is dependent on one key component: a decision.

That's right. Deciding to be happy is the rule. It's up to you. Giving the power to be happy away to another person or to a desired object or to an abstract idea means that you will only be disappointed.

One of my favorite movies is About A Boy, based on the book by Nick Hornby. There's a scene where Hugh Grant's character is trying to prevent a young friend, played by Nicholas Hoult, from making a tragically embarrassing mess of himself on stage in the name of trying to make his mother happy. He says that you can't depend on other people to make you happy, because if they can make you happy, they can also make you unhappy.

Words to live by, to be sure.

Society, for the most part has said that the "thing" comes first, then the happiness. In essence, society has got it backwards. No, your happiness first enables these things to flow to you much less hindered.

So as you reevaluate what your happiness has been dependent on, feel free to let them go. Keep working towards your goals, but remember that your being happy right now can only move you in that direction.

So, be happy.

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