The Truth about Happiness

One day you are laughing, happy in the world, and where you are in it. The next you are crying, confused of the world and wondering how you’re going to survive in it.

My family and I were belted some devastating health news a few months ago about one of our closest. I have gone through a whirlwind of emotions, most of which have been instilled in sadness.

One way or another, everyone will experience trauma in their lives. Sadly, others will have more than their fair share. Heartache, work stress, low self-esteem, divorce, death, sickness – all of the above! These hurdles are never easy, but there are positives to be had, a cleansing of the soul if you will? A cue to reassess life, to filter what is truly important in your world. And it takes a special soul to do this, to grow from painful experiences – to fight on.

A huge self-discovery for me has been the realisation that being sad or depressed is OK, in fact it is normal and like all things it will pass. This was very hard for me because I’ve always prided myself on being a very positive and happy person.

“Western society assumes that mental suffering is abnormal. It is seen as a weakness or illness, a product of a mind that is somehow faulty or defective. This means that when we do inevitably experience painful thoughts and feelings, we often criticise ourselves for being weak or stupid.”

“We live in a feel-good society, a culture thoroughly obsessed with finding happiness. And what does that society tell us to do? To eliminate ‘negative’ feelings and accumulate ‘positive’ ones in their place. It’s a nice theory and on the surface it makes sense. After all, who wants to have unpleasant feelings? But here’s the catch: the things we generally value most in life bring with them a whole range of feelings, both pleasant and unpleasant.”

The above exert is from the book The Happiness Trap. This insightful book has enabled me to put a lot of things into perspective. Being told I could lose one of the closest people in my life filled me with a deep sadness and at times I thought I would never escape. I thought I was weak because of it. Now, looking back, I was silly for telling myself such nonsense! My world turned upside down, I was scared, the thought of losing someone I loved was breaking me – I had every right to be unhappy and secluded. Sadness is a natural emotional response to environmental circumstances.

We have the ability to overcome sadness, reach balance, and get to our happy place. For me to walk the path of happiness, I have had to remind myself of some very simple and valuable life lessons that I thought I would share.

Your health is everything and should never be taken for granted.
Listen to your soul. If you’re beginning to feel overwhelmed or stressed, take time-out.
Spend time alone and do something that makes YOU happy.
Don’t bottle things up.
Learn to say NO.
Love, OK like your job, if you don’t, consider a career change.
Help others when they are in need, and that means doing the little things.
Practice Yoga
Surround yourself with the right people. People who are going to lift you higher.
Friendship – it’s a two way street.
And the biggest one! Love your family; they could disappear in an instant.

It’s always been instilled upon me that family comes first and I’ve always believed that. But it hasn’t been until recently that I have a deeper new found understanding of that.

A tough road ahead still meanders, but I feel a new sense of strength within myself that will not only help me but also more importantly help my family.

YOU DON’T
BECOME HAPPY
BY PURSUING HAPPINESS.
YOU BECOME
HAPPY BY
LIVING A LIFE
THAT MEANS SOMETHING.