True Happiness Comes From Within - some thoughts......

I took Colin on a longer walk this morning as we both needed the exercise. A walk gives me the opportunity to think. Today I was thinking about happiness and how my mood was shifting away from my post holiday blues and that my spirits were lifting.

I was wondering what had happened to change this, as I had not done anything particularly exciting. So it must be that the factors that were making me happier were coming from the inside. Lasting happiness is not something that can be achieved from external sources and happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think.

So how can I continue this feeling of  happiness? I have read that daily affirmations are quite powerful in boosting your happiness. For example, starting each day by thinking of all the things you have to be thankful for is one way to put your mind on the right track.


Making a list of things for which we are grateful is one idea that works for me. It is  something that I can use to refer to when I am feeling low. I made one of these last year and so I reconnected with it when I got back home from my walk and I was amazed how relevant it was still. But it needed some updating. I now have something I can quickly refer to and I can reflect on one or more of things that make me feel gratitude. I don't spend a long time contemplating these items it depends on how much time I have and how I feel.


Also, remember that your future depends largely on the thoughts you think today. So each moment of every day is an opportunity to turn your thinking around, thereby helping or hindering your ability to think and feel more positively in the very next moment.

Most experts agree that there are no shortcuts to happiness. Even generally happy people do not experience joy 24 hours a day. But a happy person can have a bad day and still find pleasure in the small things in life.


Postponing your happiness until you reach a certain goal, like getting a promotion or pay raise to go on vacation, is a sure-fire way to stay stuck in misery. Instead, consciously spend a few minutes every day thinking about the good things in your life, such as eating a balanced meal or getting enough rest. Practice this every day and each day try to extend the time you spend on positive thoughts.



Additionally, while there is no rule or special formula that can make a person constantly happy, happiness tends to come more easily when you focus on life having a sense of  meaning.

Including a spiritual dimension (whatever that means to us individually) tends to be an essential component of happiness for most people as well.