The Pursuit of Happiness

Most of us, if asked would probably agree “happiness” is important. It is something we strive for and we feel like that we “deserve” it. We have the best of intentions as we set about trying to make happiness happen. Many books have been written discussing happiness, and have offered detailed information on how to create or find happiness. There have been Happiness Projects. In fact, I've read many of those books, and have been intrigued by those who make happiness a project.  It’s all been helpful.

However, sometimes I wonder if I over think it. Does happiness need to be pursued? Does it need to be a project?

Is it such a grand undertaking to pave the path to happiness? And just how far away is it, anyway? Do we need a GPS that gives us step-by-step directions?

I think that I've been chasing something that I don’t need to chase. Maybe happiness is not the destination, but is something that quietly simmers within each one of us. The GPS we should follow is our own- our God Powered Soul- that which is omnipresent within each of us. We can just be…happy.

The journey is the one within. We simply make the choice to allow- to deeply allow happiness that is within each of us to emerge.

Like anything else- it’s up to us to allow it to be revealed, right?

We can resist, we can deny, we can hang on to our stories…the times we perceived we were denied that which we needed to be happy. There can be emotional stragglers from our past taunting us that we are somehow falling short of the mark.  We can choose to spew litanies to anyone who will listen about why we are not happy, or whose fault it might be that happiness eludes us….but it’s not the real truth of the matter.

The truth of the matter is that when we can sit quietly with our thoughts- when we turn our direction within…our inner GPS…God Powered Soul will illuminate the way… and the wells where happiness lives bubbles up to nourish our body and our soul.

Here is a simple way we can connect to happiness.

Try it right now. Sit quietly, close your eyes and take several slow deep breaths.  Feel your body relax. Allow any feelings, thoughts or emotions just rise up into your awareness and gently float away. Know that this is a moment of peace. 

Allow a color to come to your awareness….what color does happiness look like to you?

Visualize that color.  Allow it to fill your body….bathing the tips of your toes to the top of your head…see that color of happiness swirl gently around you…spreading out several inches from your body.

The color may change…it may morph from one hue to another. It’s ok.  Create your own mosaic…weaving together a comforting quilt of colors in which to wrap around your sweet tender self.

As new fresh space is created, the fountain of happiness settles in, creating a new imprint of happiness that just is.  

Try it every day for a week or two, and let me know how your life changes!

happiness by the water