Happy 2014! What’s that? You’re not very happy? Then it’s time to make a new kind of New Year’s resolution: put your happiness before anything else.
Have you found that ideal partner? Do you have a great family and supportive friends? Do you like what you do? Do you separate your work from your personal life? Great. Now set these accomplishments aside, because although you can use them to express your happiness, they won’t create it. If you really want to enjoy life AND give others what you feel they deserve, start by following these rules:
Appreciate what you have. Appreciation should be infused into everything you do – at home and at work. See if you can find it in the smallest of circumstances. Be creative. If you still aren’t having fun, it may not be what you are doing, but HOW you are doing it!
Trust that happiness is an INSIDE job. A blissful state enhances everything you do and allows you to serve others in the highest possible way. Don’t live to please others or to try to feel good. Being happy doesn’t mean getting what you like and avoiding what you don’t like!
Stay here. Don’t rush through your daily tasks. Treat each one as if it were the only thing on your list. Do it at a pace that feels easy and comfortable. Savor it. Don’t let your mind wander off. Happiness never comes from the type of experiences you have, but from how engrossed you are in whatever you do.
Stop worrying about what other people think. You’re usually wrong about their opinions anyway. This is your life. Live from good intentions and move forward with no apologies.
Monitor yourself. Stop to check in periodically during the day. Take a deep breath and ask yourself: How do I feel? Am I seeing things clearly? Adjust accordingly.
This is your mission. Take it seriously; it can transform your life. And remember, happiness is contagious. Stick to these guidelines and the people around you will seem more content, less demanding. Don’t worry. Be happy this New Year!
