The Simple Secret to Happiness

Image of woman on swing in sunshine for Cheers 2 chapter 2 Simple Secret to Happiness page

The simple secret to happiness is something you already have access to.

What if I told you that what stands between you and your potential for exuberant happiness was none other than… you. You are either thinking your way into misery or you’re opening your mind to your own limitless potential for joy.

Sounds crazy, right?

I’m not an expert and I certainly don’t have all of the answers. I’m on the same continued journey of self-discovery – uncovering my authentic self and finding more joy and purpose in my daily life – as you may be.

And although I don’t have all the secrets to a happy life, I do know from my own experiences and those of many others I’ve read about, listened to, have known, and/or have seen… that the surest way to live fully, to experience moments of love more deeply, and to find connection, hope, meaning and happiness in our days – is through our thoughts.

We are, after all, what we think.

It’s not the material things in our life, not the circumstances of our health or our wealth, nor how fabulously glamorous nor incredibly impoverished our situation is that make us happy.

As the saying goes, money can’t buy happiness. Even the most seemingly successful people are not necessarily happy. Those in excellent health with perfect lives are not necessarily any happier than those with ill health and what seem to be insurmountable challenges.

“You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate.” – Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

The common denominator amongst happy people is mindset. The mindset of how they think and want to feel. How they choose to feel. Their secret is how they see the world and themself. It’s in who they identify themselves to be – a happy person.

But I have a reason to be unhappy, you say.

You might have reasons, but you have also have choices. Contrary to what you may have believed, how you feel is not determined by what’s happening in your life – to you or around you.

Bad stuff happens. But that isn’t what determines your happiness. If that were true, not a single person who experienced grief and loss (which is nearly everyone over thirty) would ever be happy.

Not a single person born to poverty and or living in severe hardship could be happy by that theory either.

But that’s simply not true.

There are people who live with incredibly disadvantages – including chronic illness, missing limbs, loss of sight or hearing, disabilities, disease, poverty, imprisonment, trauma and abuse, enslavement, – and yet have incredibly positive mindsets.

They choose to live determined to feel happiness, joy and gratitude in their hearts and minds. Committed to living as fully as they can, and to enjoying the days of lives to their fullest capacity. Refusing to be down, depressed or to feel hopeless.

It proves to me that how we feel, how we move through our days, what we accomplish and how happy we are is a choice. And that choice is based on our thoughts.

“I know for sure that what we dwell on, we become.” – Oprah Winfrey

Regardless of the most amazing or the most horrible of circumstances, you have a choice of who you want to be – on the inside.

And who you identify as in your core being, what you value and deeply believe, will then lead the direction of your thoughts, and ultimately, to your behavior.

To be happy and feel fulfilled and joyful, we need to start on the identity level.

“Who I am being on the inside will affect how I think and what I do, which will affect the outcomes I create.” – Jim Fortin

Making sure our core being, our innermost self, our values and beliefs are in alignment helps to center and ground our thoughts to where they should naturally be. It’s from there we shape how we feel.

It’s from that authentic and whole place where our truest self resides, that determines how much or how little we enjoy our life.

Take the time to reflect.

Give yourself the gift of uncovering how you know deep inside you want to feel. How you want to identify, and what your core values are. Get back into alignment with who you know you truly are. That reflection helps guide you to live your days and make choices and decisions from that place, from your true north.

Looking within helps us see more clearly that our thoughts can stem from fear and anxiety, lack and limitation, or they can grow from the beautiful, powerful, limitless center of our truest self. And if your highly empathic, taking time to reflect can also help you uncover when your thoughts and feelings are actually more of a mirror of those around you than your own.

You are ready-baked chock-full of potential.

So here I’ll repeat the big secret (not-so-secret) revelation in case you weren’t paying close attention… What stops you… is you!

Your thoughts are telling you that you don’t have the time, that you’re not young enough, smart enough, wealthy enough, lucky enough, deserving enough.

But that is not the truth! The truth is what your heart tells you. What your gut, your inner voice, tells you. What your intuition simply knows. And none of those excuses are the truth!

Plug in to you more often.

The more we learn to connect with our heart, with our deepest values and with what we genuinely desire, the more fulfilling our lives become.

That has certainly been the case for me. So much so that it makes me want to shout it from the mountain tops so you can begin to give it a try too! I want you to experience more happiness and I know that the secret (not really secret) piece is getting more plugged in with yourself. Your truest self.

Let that part of you begin to lead how you think, and thereby feel, and ultimately act.

I think you will be amazed at what a happy difference it will make.

Cheers to reconnecting with yourself. To the continued journey of uncovering who you truly are (again).To and finding alignment with the best version of yourself, and to the unstoppable happiness you will undoubtedly uncover.

Leave me a message below or shoot me an email and let me know how your journey to more joy and happiness is going! I’d love to hear from you!  – Marlene

 


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4 thoughts on “The Simple Secret to Happiness

  1. YES! In my younger years, I didn’t really understand this. I mean, how can you CHANGE your thoughts? They are “what they are.” But, as I’ve aged (and become wiser – yes that really DOES HAPPEN. right?), I have learned and now know this to be true. We really can become so much happier and live in a peaceful state of being, just by changing our thoughts. First – recognizing them, and then (without judging ourselves), intentionally choose to think something more positive, morel light. Thank you for putting this so clearly! I appreciate others sharing this message! : )

    1. A million times YES to everything you wrote Lisa!! And better late than never that we’re figuring all of this out! So much more abundance and joy in this midlife journey to explore and enjoy, right?! <3

  2. I was hoping to download the 11 simple affirmations to help shift your mindset… but says I’m already subscribed… can you forward me this download, very much appreciated thank you

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