The key to finding happiness is to let go of trying to find happiness.
" I want to be happy ", I hear this all the time in sessions. Who doesn't, right? Besides being happy all the time would be kind of weird, I mean we'd look like grinning idiots if life were that happy.
In my humble opinion the idea of happiness is overrated. It really is a honey trap that sets us up to feel like we have failed if we aren't "happy". I think what we really are seeking isn't really happiness, but more of a sense of contentment of joy. Now this would be far more satisfying than the idea of always being happy.
Besides is it even realistic to be happy all the time? Life happens, things go wrong, people get hurt and hurt us and we hurt people, we experience grief and loss. These are times when it would be weird to be happy or even want happiness. That's because ALL our emotions are important and necessary. Without sadness we would not understand joy, without loss we can not appreciate what we do have, without fear there can be no courage. Without pain we can not understand pleasure.
The thing with happiness is that it always seems fleeting, momentary and then life swoops in and we start wondering (yet again) when will we feel happy?
5 TOP TIPS FOR FINDING HAPPINESS
- Allow yourself to move through the emotions that your body experiences, don't push away the 'bad' feelings.
- Look for the joy in all the little things that life provides you and acknowledge the good in it.
- Appreciate the simple things and get back to basics; holding hands with a loved one, a good conversation, a simple act of kindness. This is the act of enjoying the present moment.
- Help someone, in any way they need, this can offer a unique sense of fulfilment of doing good for no other reason than the good it does.
- Be kind to yourself and practice self-care. You know why people bang on about self-care? Because it works and it feels good.
xx Michaela R
Life is for living, not existing.
Michaela is lead counsellor at LIFE : ENHANCED THERAPIES, Counselling Service, Bundaberg. She offers general counselling face to face and online and has a deep passion to see people get the most out of their life, find balance and connect with the person they want to be. She loves helping people with mental illness work towards health and wellbeing life.
To Book a therapy session:
Check out her webpage @ https://www.lifeenhancedtherapiesbundabergcounselling.com
FB page @ LIFE : Enhanced Therapies, Bundaberg. Registered, professional counsellor
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