Note: This is a guest post from Peter G. James Sinclair of Motivational Memo
Not what we have but what we use, not what we see but what we choose – these are the things that mar or bless human happiness.
John Mason
To be happy is the pursuit of any normal human being. Compared to sadness, happiness breeds an atmosphere of joy and strength that sustains and energizes us.
To be happy at work, to be happy at play, to be happy in our homes and amidst our family is something that all of us desire.
But how do we find this happiness?
Here are five truths that I trust will clearly define it for you.
1. Happiness doesn’t come from what we have
I have seen happier people in an African village hut with a dirt floor than someone I knew who lived in a multi-million dollar mansion overlooking water, with the Riviera and jet skis parked near or on the pontoon, and the 7 series BMW parked in their garage.
It’s a fact that having things, having talent, having money, and having all the trappings will not necessarily equate to happiness in your life.
But how much better it is to be happy with or without – whether you abound or are abased.
2. Happiness comes from what we use
By simply deciding to be happy, no matter what you find yourself doing at the time, it will lead to only one thing – happiness.
I have experienced happiness cleaning toilets, packing shelves, writing and publishing books, conducting meetings as the CEO of my own company, coaching other businesses and speaking professionally.
It’s not what I have done that has been my greatest source of happiness. It has been using what I have at the time with the knowledge and understanding I had. Joy has been bred by having an attitude to be ever learning and ever growing in a state of happiness.
3. Happiness doesn’t come from what we see
Some say ‘seeing is believing’. I would rather declare that ‘believing is in seeing’.
When I have at times had to do things that may not have necessarily fitted my ‘dream’ list of activities, I have learnt to be happy by focussing on my own personal dream for my future, recognising that the current task I may be engaged in is simply a vehicle that is carrying me to my destination.
Life is filled with seasons, and by approaching the summers, winters, autumns or falls and springs of our life with a positive attitude, then happiness can be our companion throughout the coldest morning, the sunniest afternoon, or the darkest night.
4. Happiness comes from what we choose
Choice is a magnificent word. We can, in an instant, choose to be unhappy, and yet on the flipside of that we can also choose to be happy.
Every day, throughout the three years that I owned and operated a cleaning business, I had the choice to either approach each dirty house or factory I faced with a smile or a frown.
Satisfaction was gained by focussing on the end result of each completed cleaning assignment before I even started. Two outcomes were presented to me – a place was transformed into a property that shone in a state of cleanliness that I created and this filled me with a healthy sense of pride, and secondly the financial reward received for a job well done.
In business for myself, I was in charge of my own destiny without being at the beck and call of an employer.
5. Happiness must rise from within
John Mason states that ‘these are the things that mar or bless human happiness.’ So dependant upon how you apply the above four truths, your happiness will be determined.
Happiness must rise from within, unaffected by the circumstances surrounding us.
Take time to develop this winning habit – a state of ‘dissatisfied satisfaction’ that moves you forward towards your dreams, filled with happiness, and you will experience nothing less than a blessed life.
So what are you going to do today to put a stamp of happiness on your life?
Peter G. James Sinclair is in the ‘heart to heart’ resuscitation business and inspires, motivates and equips others to be all that they’ve been created to become. Receive your free copy of his latest eBook Discovering The You In Unique at – http://www.motivationalmemo.com and add him on Twitter @PeterGJSinclair – today!
Photo by storymary
Thanks for your (guest) post,
I like Nr. 2 using what we have,
For example today I actually had a closer look at my own Blog, to find out what I basically have to offer with my Home Business Lifestyle Blog.
Because of that today I even wrote a new post simply telling about what I have and about a recent improvement on the Home Business Lifestyle Blog. It’s about an improvement that makes it easier for you as a reader to easily choose the blogposts you like to read more about, and make it easy to see what (statistically) are the most popular posts on the Home Business Lifestyle Blog.
All the Best,
To your Happy Inspiration,
HP
P.S. (on my – Main Blog – you can find an interesting (audio) interview with the author of a book titled: ‘Happy for No Reason’ that seems to be very well in alignment with this post)
HP
Even your name is an abbreviation of HAPPY. Glad to be of service by supplying you with happy inspiration.
Fantastic Post! Appreciate the affirmation of what life is all about.
Tyler
We all need affirmation….as it makes a firm foundation upon which more happiness can be established in our lives. Be happy always.
Sometimes happiness is very simple and it’s everywhere. So don’t worry, be happy. 😀
Recently I wrote a blogpost on “100 Little Tricks to Fill Your Life With Happiness” too. Hope that it can help my readers seek for simple happiness easily, make everyday life cheers a little more. =D
Jia….every bit of happiness advice helps….keep it up.
great observations…
but what about “happiness is sharing?”
Point 6 I believe. Great suggestion…..the more I share the more I find is returned to me so that I can keep sharing. A smile given away is 1,000 smiles coming back your way.
I think happiness is only depending from loving and accepting ourselves. “Wealths” will distract the most people from it.
Rolf. True. The wealth we have inside is the richest. Build you on the inside and watch your outside be transformed.
I’ve got to say, the core error I made in my search for happiness for years was looking for it outside of myself.
I found that looking within, like you said about finding it via choice rather than what we have, is the only solution to find peace.
Abraham Lincoln has a cool quote where he says that people are about as happy as they decide to be, no more and no less. 🙂
Fred. Brilliant. Decision is at the core of all happiness. Thanks to Abraham for that one.
Dude I love it! Just today I has a deep discussion with some family members about this concept of ‘dissatisfied satisfaction’ … I know it is something I have struggled with … your post has certainly helped.
John. So please to be of assistance. Enjoy the journey whilst keeping happiness at the centre of your being and watch the joy appear all around you and in you.
Happiness doesn’t come from what we have. Such a true statement.
I just came back from a conference last week. One of the presentations showed pictures of families in Brazil. Every child had the biggest “genuine” smiles on their faces. What was making them happy? Well we wouldn’t know from what we saw in the pictures.
They were doing things like stacking rocks, drawing in dirt, or playing with trash.
Thanks Bryce….just like those children you and I can be happy because we like them choose to be.
Happiness comes from what we do … not what we have. I recently came back from the Philippines. I saw more genuinely happy people there, living on next to nothing, than I see in my hometown where the least fortunate have a better existence. Happiness is indeed what you choose. Very succinct and well put !
I agree that happiness IS a choice. An easier choice than most people realize. The fruits of positive labor are worth their weight in gold.
I wish more people embraced the wisdom in this post!
Peter.
Thank you for inspiring and reminding me about the happiness that can be a wellspring within each of us. It wants to ooze out and yes, is certainly a choice when we know that it is.
Cheers.
The first point “Happiness doesn’t come from what we have” reminded me of a quote I heard recently, something along the lines of “The measure of your wealth is not by your possessions, but what you have if you lost all of your possessions”.
I have always told my children that integrity is everything. You can loose everything you have and if you have your integrity, you will be among the richest in the world.
My favorite is number 5 – Happiness must rise from within. Happiness shouldn’t be circumstantial or governed by external factors. Sure, we have our ups and downs, but our overall sense of well-being should be very difficult to waver.
Happiness requires cultivating good mental habits and not allowing polluted thoughts to drag us down.
For me, the next runner up is #1 – Happiness Doesn’t Come From What We Have
One our basic needs are satisfied, more ‘Stuff’ doesn’t add more happiness. Perhaps at times they can bring more pleasure, but pleasure is merely a temporary fix and not a solution.
Thanks for the post John!
– Greg
Oh ya, and what’s on the inside matters
I would really like to Thank the guest for making us aware that happiness comes from within.I learnt a lot from this post.Each truth if practised daily would enlighten us from within, Thank You to the Guest and the owner of this blog, Amen.
I know this comment is a month after the fact, but just wanted to comment on a subject I’m very passionate about. #7 about happiness rising from within, unaffected by external circumstances is so true. Happiness is a state of being. It is not the result of perfectly aligned stars, but of a habitual way of interpreting life. It is the way we live our lives. It is the way we think and choose and believe and do. It is the purpose and meaning we have as it motivates and drives us through life. It is the passion for life ans people and the things that matter most in life that provides us with the stable kind of happiness that is not fleeting, but enduring.
Excellent post. Enjoy searching older posts on your blog. Lots of great content!