How to Discover True Happiness

Many people look to change things, create more and hope for peace and happiness in the future, but life is happening right now so be happy and fulfilled now by accepting and being in the present moment, this is the secret to happiness. 

Before we look at how to be happy, let’s first awaken and understand why we may be unhappy. 

Unhappiness comes from negative thoughts and reactions. Most people’s thoughts are on auto-pilot based on their past and many are focussed on negative thoughts instead of positive. Most people live with a void, feeling as though they need to change, achieve goals and perfect their life and themselves before they can feel fulfilled. 

People try to fill this void with material wealth and achievement, holding their happiness in the future with the idea that when they’ve achieved all their goals and fixed their problems, they’ll be happy. Unfortunately this is an impossible task as there will always be more to achieve and more problems as long as you continue to believe that fulfilment and peace are outside of you in the future. Whether you’re happy or not is based upon your perspective, happiness is an inside job which you choose and create. You can awaken and realise in this very moment, you are completely whole and fulfilled.

You are that which is aware of your thoughts and feelings, not the thoughts and feelings themselves. When you label yourself, especially with negative thoughts, you only hold yourself back. Just like being able to choose happiness, you can choose any thoughts or feelings including the way you describe your life and yourself or simply choose not to. Be open to the possibility that you can be, do or have anything. 

The thoughts and feelings which disempower you are the ego. The ego is the continuous thoughts running through your mind and the feelings accompanying them which you’ve become identified by. However, this is not who you are, you are that which is aware of the thoughts and feelings. This presence does not think nor judge, it just is. Notice as your thoughts are running and feelings arise, you’re aware of them, you can bring your attention to this awareness. You may experience small snippets of having your attention on the awareness at first and as you practice you’ll feel it more each time, for longer periods. This awareness is who you essentially are, your true self, the oneness which connects everyone and everything. To understand and experience your true self more you may like to practice meditation, read my last post for a how to guide on meditation.

So, to be happy, practice awareness of the ego (which is what creates unhappiness) and let go of your identification with it by realising you are the stillness behind the thoughts and feelings. Life is happening now, not yesterday or tomorrow, stay present in this moment and be joyous knowing that happiness is an inside job which you create. When you just be in the moment, you experience a sense of indescribable peace and bliss. It’s indescribable because to describe it would only make it into an idea, a thought, bringing you back to thinking and being in the mind, re-identifying with the ego. 

Namaste

Belinda