"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." — Mahatma Gandhi
Sometimes I feel like everybody else is moving on with their lives except me and I find myself wondering what I need to do to feel better. It is these timesthat I value my Angels so much (once I remember to ask them to help). When I do ask, I have a stronger sense of not being alone.
Family and friends also help with a sense of belonging, along with my furry friends. I have noticed recently that when I stop comparing myself and the journey I am on, with other people's journeys, I do feel a lot happier. Happiness is the amazing feeling I get when I help another person. We hear much about volunteering, how it helps other people; yet maybe we miss how important volunteering is for our own lives. For most of my life I have found it is essential to help others. Helping someone else enabled me to find happiness for myself. As the Dalai Lama is quoted as saying — "Happiness is not something that is ready made. It comes from your own actions."
Let me share some ideas I have learned along the way. The first step is to take care of me — my body, planning exercise, getting outside amongst nature and getting enough sleep. Always being aware and mindful of what is going on around me, being in tune with my feelings and not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Then I am ready to do things for others and connect with other people.
Practising being curious and engaged in life helps me accomplish things, learn new things and set realistic goals. Along with choosing to bounce back if things don't go exactly as I planned. Lastly it is important to be comfortable with who I am and remember I am part of a bigger wider world.
Let's keep building our happiness. If we practise enough, happiness becomes automatic and we will respond to life's ups and downs with excitement, positivity and joy. Arohanui. Shirley-Joy. belbarow@gmail.com
