Independent Happiness

People often search for happiness as if it were something to be found outside of themselves. They jump from job to job or from one relationship to the next, all in search of the happiness that seems to elude them. Perhaps you already have every reason to be happy – a dream job, a passionate relationship, loving children, or a beautiful home, yet still you feel a sense of emptiness or unease within. You’re not alone. In fact, various levels of depression, and similar ailments, affects millions of people each year. And when everything is go, go, go…It is a problem that is getting worse. For many, chronic feelings of worry, nervousness, and fear become all too "normal." Because everything is go, go , go...while making breakfast we are worrying about what we will wear to work, while driving to work we are worrying about what batch of emails awaits us, while making dinner we are worrying about what show to watch on TV, and we never take a moment to ourselves. This problem can manifest itself beyond the day-to-day tasks like driving to work into bigger and more worrisome problems like driving one car while worrying about what the next car is going to be, buying one house while worrying about eventually purchasing an upgrade, and taking a vacation while worrying about going somewhere nicer the next time around. Happiness sure can be difficult. Many of us have never been taught that happiness is not about buying a bigger house, faster car, or sculpting a “more perfect” body. Steps to becoming happy can be taken in little, magnificently simple ways. The next time you are cutting an apple, think about nothing else. Take a moment to feel the knife as it penetrates the skin of the apple, count each piece as you cut it, and as you take that first bite, say to yourself “this is the most wonderful taste I have ever experienced, and I am happy, content, and life is wonderful.” Doing the exercise above will allow you to live consciously, in the present moment, without everything else tugging at you. Perhaps you’ll notice that for the first time in your life, you have eaten an apple. Truly eaten an apple. You see, happiness, is a lasting state of inner peace and well-being independent of the conditions in our day-to-day lives. It is always there as a backdrop, ready for you to experience at any moment – even when you are having feelings of anger, sadness, shame, or fear.  So why is achieving that deep sense of inner fulfillment so difficult? Take a moment to consider these questions:

• Do you suffer from the “I’ll be happy when” syndrome? Like I’ll be happy when I have more money…I’ll be happy when I find the perfect mate…I’ll be happy when I can retire…
• Even when you do get what you want, do you still feel like something is missing from your life?
• Would you like to be happy for no reason?

With our  Paraliminal called Happy for No Reason you are given a holistic approach to becoming happier. It is a specific, measurable physiological state that has distinct brain activity, heart rhythms, and body chemistry. This Paraliminal helps supplement positive lifestyle changes like living in the moment and enjoying the little things by connecting you to your personal power, reinforcing your awareness of the presence of spirit in your life, and helping you align with your passion. Today is the day to no longer worry about the future or feel guilty about the past. As the Buddha taught, “Do not pursue the past, do not lose yourself in the future. The past no longer is. The future has not yet come.” For support, listen to the Happy for No Reason Paraliminal or delve into the Happy for No Reason personal learning course. -Pete