How To Be Happy Right Now

“Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.” - ?

Everyone wants to be happy, but for many it is an elusive goal. We struggle, we do what’s right, we make the wise choices, but somehow, it’s not enough to be happy. Some of us struggle through days, weeks, months, and sometimes sad years wanting to be happy. With millions of self-help books on the shelves there should be no secrets left. We should all be ecstatic right? So what gives? Why do we still struggle? What is it?

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” -  Frederick Keonig

What is the secret to happiness?

You don’t have to go searching for happiness. The secret is that you have everything you need already right now. Happiness is your God-given right. The secret is even told in the Lord’s prayer:

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. for ever and ever. Amen”

The secret is to live in the moment. Let your thoughts not think about yesterday’s bread, or tomorrow’s bread, or your neighbor’s bread, but enjoy today’s bread that is right in front of you. In this moment, in this second, the world is probably not so scary.

If I think about the plumber who’s coming later, the contractor who has to look at the mold growing on the drywall, a possible leak in the roof, the lump in my breast, my son wanting a brother or sister that we can’t give him, saving for his college, work being a beast, the economy, the… the… I’m overwhelmed to the point of breaking down, crying, and giving up hope. But…

But… if… I think about this moment. If I let my thoughts linger on my cinnamon spice coffee, the feel of the keys under my typing fingers, the quiet while my husband and son sleep, the world is not so scary. It’s actually peaceful and beautiful. So one secret to being happy… it to take this moment that God has given you… and linger in it… love it… be grateful for it.

There are many things you can do to be happy right now, and let this be the first one.

Eleven ways to be happy right now!

1.       Be in the moment. Be mindful. Pay attention to every sense and every detail of each second. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Be here. Be now.

2.       Fill your life with music. Everything is a little better which a rocking soundtrack. So the next time you have to do a dreaded chore, put on your favorite tune. Maybe sing along. Maybe even dance.

3.       Make sure you do at least one thing every day that is just to make you happy. Fifteen minutes, just for you. Whatever it may be, it has to be a completely selfish thing – a bubble bath, reading a comic book, watching the sun rise, enjoying your favorite tea all alone before everyone else wakes up.

4.       Give yourself small, achievable goals, and really congratulate yourself as you accomplish them. We take ourselves for granted too much. When was the last time you really patted yourself on the back for cleaning the kitchen beautifully, or finishing the laundry, or being a great friend, parent, sibling, whatever. Don’t take yourself for granted. Really talk yourself up when you do all those things that seem tedious but they make life good. Heck, if you woke up this morning, didn’t cheat on your significant other, smoke crack, beat your kid, worship the devil, and bury the bodies in the back yard, you definitely have several things to pat yourself on the back for.

5.       Don’t take all your blessings for granted. Think about all the things you have to be grateful for, and list them one by one and really thank God for them.

6.       Choose to be happy.

“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” - Abraham Lincoln

Know that you have the ability to say I’m going to be happy today, and you can make it so. You have the power to choose how you will react to events and people. You can control your thoughts entirely. Direct your sails, and your ship will take you where you want. But you have to make the choice or else old habits, old programming, not of your choosing, will take over.

7.       Turn off the TV. It is full of unrealistic, dark, hedonistic, and scary images. The news obviously could depress anyone. They primarily only tell you the bad things that are happening in the world. But the bad things actually are far outweighed by the good. Even comedies and sitcoms are depressing. They show you unrealistic visions of young people with more money than sense who can afford large families, large homes, they have no student loans, they have no debt, they are either independently wealthy or only one parent works, etc. etc. Who lives like this? Maybe 1% of the population. Watching this kind of life, makes you on a subconscious and sometimes even on a conscious level doubt your own beautiful life. Working parents, shuttling around kids, pets, paying bills, cleaning up cat puke, repairing pipes, handing out Halloween candy etc.

8.       Appreciate the simple things. The simple life is magical and beautiful. Don’t be a perfectionist. Perfectionism makes the wonderfully simple and ordinary dull… but the simple things are truly blessed. Appreciate fall leaves, smile lines, dust on old furniture, cluttered books filled with beautiful stories…

9.       Recognize that all the blues you have in your life are not that bad relatively speaking. Give to a child living in poverty, or donate to a charity, and really be grateful that you have even a little to give when some have almost nothing. Search for Children’s Hospitals on Amazon.com’s wishlists… buy something for a sick child. You can send something that costs as little as a dollar.

10.   Get physical. Exercise. Garden. Dance. Make love. Hug someone. Go for a walk. Walk the dog. Tickle your child. Do some deep breathing. Stretch. Whatever. Use the body that God gave you.

11.   Have a motto, a philosophy, a worthy purpose, and follow it. Know that everything you do, is in line with that purpose. Know that you have a calling. What is God calling you to do?

If you are suffering from depression… go see a doctor. Get medicine. Seek therapy. Visit your spiritual guide, whatever yours may be… priest, pastor, minister, rabbi, whatever. You deserve to be happy.

“One must never look for happiness: one meets it by the way” -  Isabelle Eberhardt

“Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” Helen Keller (1880 - 1968)

“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet.” - James Oppenheim

“At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.” - Jean Houston

I hope you have a beautiful day!

Go… be… happy!

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