We often think external things will make us happy. We might think that if we were thin, had more money, or were more successful, we would be happy, and everything would just fall into place.

Happiness has to do with your emotions, thoughts, and beliefs.

If you think that obtaining a certain thing has the power to make you happy, you will be left chasing happiness until you die.

We cannot create happiness from something external – it never works.

That person who is thinner than you still has worries. There are some very successful people who are unhappy.

If you are not happy now, you will not be happy once you drop 10 pounds, get rich, or whatever.

Robert Holden, PHD, the director of the Happiness Project, says, “We will never become happy, we can only BE happy. There is a world of difference between searching for happiness and following our joy. Following our joy has an internal orientation.”

This does not mean you will be happy all the time. That is impossible in this world.

We must accept the parts of life that aren’t the most joyous and not let them contribute to unhappiness. They are external.

You are capable of deciding to be happy and content in who you are right now.

Before social media, people compared themselves to only a few people. Now, we can literally compare ourselves to everyone on social media.

Comparison leads to criticism and can steal your joy.

And no amount of self-improvement can make up for self-acceptance.

Here is a fun and simple practice to be happy and content in who you are right now…

If you could decide what other people thought of you, what would you want them to think of you?

What do you want your kids to think about you? What do you want your husband to think about you? Your friends, boss, parents, etc…?

Really go deep.

Are you caring, strong, hospitable, motivated, capable…?

You get to decide if you will be that person. 🙂

What did you come up with?