The Keys To Happiness

Very often, we believe that specific events must occur or specific accomplishments must be achieved in our lives before we can feel happy. In the meantime, we lament the lack of things which we value highly. We feel anxious, discouraged, or depressed because of it. When it comes to our happiness, however, we also have the ability to create happiness. When we recognize that our focus on a limited range of outcomes is restricting our ability to be happy on a daily basis, we can choose to expand our parameters. We can also shift our focus from our desired outcomes to our daily habits in order to change how we think and feel for the better.

As an example of this, if I base my happiness on the idea of being completely healthy, being happily married, having a great job, and/or making $100,000 a year, I may quickly feel frustrated, discouraged, and unfulfilled based on a failure to have achieved any of these outcomes. In contrast, someone else with these goals may be keeping their daily attention focused not on these desired outcomes but primarily on such things as thinking positively, seeking to help others, and taking at least one action on a daily basis to work towards each of his/her goals. While not where they would like to be, this process-oriented person will likely feel happier about themselves and the quality of their life because they are focused on recognizing opportunities for progress, making progress, and seeking to create a high quality of daily life.

Being a positive thinker and an action taker is a mindset, a habit, and an ability that we all have within ourselves to strive for and develop. In doing so, we gain momentum towards achieving our goals. We are also developing the kind of positive attitude and positive mindset that substantially increases our self-esteem, sense of accomplishment, and ability to feel happy on a daily basis.