How to Be Happy….Right NOW!
Isn’t this what we all want deep down inside? Aren’t all our motives for doing things to reach some level of happiness?
However doesn’t it always seem that happiness is just right around the corner…..we are almost there but just need one more thing?
Unfortunately that illusion is what keeps us always one step away. But look around, there are people happy….so what is their secret? Here it is….are you ready….
Happiness is right now
That’s right, if you are not happy right now you have to stop and ask yourself why.
Chances are your happiness is really based on the false illusion that you are missing something, that you need something.
That is 100% false conditioning from the mind. Say this to yourself, “I need nothing else to be happy right now”. Keep saying that till you really believe it because once you understand that truth, anything is possible.
So again ask yourself, am I really happy right now? If the answer is “No” then write down what you “think” will make you truly happy. Is it lose weight? Is it a new job? Is it a new special someone in your life? Then look at your list and cross off anything that is based on “needing” something that you are missing to be happy…..chances are that list will no longer exist.
You can always have goals, you can always look for inspiring work, you can always enjoy the company of others….but to assume you happiness is dependent on it is just setting yourself up for the big let down.
You don’t need more stuff
A new TV, a new bike, a trip to the islands, a new car……you don’t need this to be happy.
Doesn’t mean you can’t do it or go buy it, just stop giving into the illusion that it will bring you true happiness. It might give you a “thrill”, but those are always temporary…and then when the thrill goes and leaves you feeling like something else is missing you say you need “another car”…or tv…or whatever.
The cycle of thrills is endless….and a one way ticket to never finding daily happiness. Stop the cycle now, you don’t need anything at this present moment other than your own mind!
Smile….even if you have to force it
Ever notice how someone else’s smile can brighten your day? Even if you are feeling down, imagine being around positive smiling people….and suddenly it’s like you caught their energy for yourself.
Here’s also a universal truth, energies attract.
So if you want to be around negative unhappy people….just be negative and unhappy yourself. If you want positive happy people around you….then start smiling and saying “I am happy right now because I don’t need anything else to be that way”.
Pretty soon you will be surrounded by the same type of people….and the more people of like attitude and energy, the stronger it grows. Let’s face it, no one wants to be around someone who are negative, we all are attracted to positive happy people.
There is no past….there is no future
We spend so much time either wrapped up in what has happened to us or what will happen to us we forget that we only ever really have one thing, the present moment.
How many present moments have you wasted thinking back about something that happened to you in the past….or worrying about something that may or may not happen in the future.
Imagine what it would be like to just forget the past, not worry about the future and only do what we need to do in the present moment….pretty soon we can accomplish anything we want!
As that is all results are, just a bunch of steps taken in the present that lead to a result. Of course one should use the past and future wisely , such as learning (but not waste time thinking about) past actions that may have not turned out the way we wanted them to and having goals of where we want to go. But isn’t the whole process of goal setting just using that to determine what steps we need to take every present moment along the way?
So…again, there is no future…just a series of present moments.
Learn appreciation for what you have right now
A great way to remind yourself that you don’t “need” anything else is to get an appreciation for what you have right now…whether that be your health….a job….a roof over your head….your family…..everything.
Chances are there is always someone is worse shape than you, but also they could still be the happiest person you ever meet….so it can’t be about what we have then can it? Visualize right now losing everything you have.….do you see all of the sudden an appreciation for what is already right in front of you?
The dangers of getting bored with someone or something is just because we no longer view them/it as we first did long ago. Did the person/object really change or was it just how you viewed them or your expectations that did?
Appreciate what you have, and you will realize that you really don’t need much else.
Detach from everything….everyone…right now
That’s right, detach from everything….you don’t own anything or anyone…and they don’t own you.
Your happiness is no longer dependent on whether you have something or someone in your life. No more….they are gone, detached from you.
Now….can you fully appreciate the time spent with them in the present moment. Detach from caring what others think about you….or want from you. Be yourself because of how you want to live your life….not by the expectations of others. Living to other’s expectations will only leave you lacking in feeling fulfillment in your life…as people will always want more.
Live to the beat of your own music…..and let everyone else wonder why you are so happy all the time.
Embrace fear
What are you really afraid of that is keeping you from living to the fullest? Overcome those fears!
What is fear really?
Examine it every time it happens in your life. This is important because isn’t this one of the greatest roadblocks we encounter?
Fear is always about something in the future and could be based on past results.
Fear does not live in the present moment….it can’t…it’s not possible!
We fear a future outcome, we fear what people will think of us, we fear getting hurt, we fear losing money, we fear negative things that have not yet happened…..we fear events in the future.
So you see, how can you really fear anything if you only live in the present moment?
Fear will never go away, it’s there to keep us alive too…..to give us caution in what present moment steps we take, and that is ok. Just don’t let it rule your life or prevent happiness. Embrace it….and realize it doesn’t truly exist or have any power over you right now.
Practice these steps Daily!
The most important step. None of this is easy and it will take lots of practice and reminders. The only way is to practice daily….if you want to get good at anything you need to practice daily. So if happiness all the time is your goal, you have to practice it….remind yourself in every present moment.
It’s a journey after all…..and what happened yesterday no longer matters….it’s only what you do right now in the present moment that will determine your happiness….nothing else. That is what meditation is really….just using little cues like noticing your breathing to bring you into the present moment.
Make up your own “present moment alarm”, something to remind you to focus on what is happening right now in your mind….it could be just waking up and starting the day off without tv/radio and have quiet for 20min….it could be driving the car with no radio on….it could be a walk everyday outside in nature….it could be an alarm set to go off every day….it could be a piece of jewelry you wear (like those awareness bands that were so popular years ago, the yellow Livestrong ones)…whatever works for you!
Just focus on being aware of the present moment daily….pretty soon you will just be living that moment all the time…and that is where true happiness lives and fear/ worry/ anger/ jealousy/ greed/ doubt/ depression can not get in.
photo by Donna Cymek
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15 Reader Comments
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Pure gold!
I have so much to be thankful for, I need nothing else.
Peace,
jim
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I actually watched “The Secret” and have also seen “What the Bleep do we know” as tools for the search to happiness after a few rough years as well as going to therapy for several problems and saying things to yourself is one thing you must really teach yourself expecially in today’s world where negativity is what sells. You have to do this everyday. People have already started to tell me they are noticing a difference and say they are glad to see me starting to be happy again after such a long time. Good post.
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[...] The IF Life –  Be Happy Now [...]
Mike;
Great article and it’s giving me pause to rethink some of my priorities.
Plan to attend a Zazen session tomorrow in Pittsburgh, and I’ve been sitting daily.
May I inquire as to anyone particular book or resource that you’ve read that was the basis for your Blog Post.
Thanks in advance, and if you don’t mind, I will post a link to this article on my Blog.
Jay
Western Pa.
PS. I’m re reading Thinking Body, Dancing Mind: Taosports for Extraordinary Performance in Athletics, Business, and Life: and hoping I can get a better grasp of the concepts.
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MikeOD, Well said. One thing I do, when I get out of bed in the morning, as I slip on my house shoes, as my left foot goes in my left shoe I say “thank” and as my right foot goes in my right shoe I say “you”. That way I can start my day off with a feeling of gratitude and send start by sending out positive engergy into the universe. Then I continue saying thank you thoughout the day as little things go my way.
I have read that Albert Einstein said thank you hunderds of time a day to the scientist who came before him that allowed him to use their knowledge.
Each evening before dinner everyone in my family must say one thing that they are greatful for before we start eating. My kids love it because you can be greatful for the simplest thing.
Here is a great quote:
“If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have paradise in a few years. ”
Bertrand Russell
MikeOD, Thank you for starting this blog. I have gotten a vast amount of information to help me live a healthier, happier life. Thank you.
MikeB
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Kevin – Just remember it is a daily journey and you can be happy no matter what may or may not have happen in the past. It’s something we all need to practice. I don’t think we need to find things in the past as excuses, we just need to learn to accept whatever has happened and then decide that we can be happy right now. It’s really is just positive thinking…as what we think will directly affect what actions we take and what results we get. Eliminate the negative emotions of fear, doubt, regret or anything that is based in the past or present, and just try to focus on what to do right now. You may enjoy the book “The Power of Now” by E. Tolle. Keep up the great attitude!
Jay – I have read so many different books on zen, happiness, simplicity and the likes. They have all had an effect on my current mindset. Any of Wayne Dyer’s stuff I do enjoy. As mentioned above E.Tolle’s “The Power of Now” is high on my list…my other fav author is Anthony DeMello. He has a couple good books called “The Way to Love”(Title is misleading…not that sappy) and “Awareness”. DeMello writes like a big slap in the face….no soft tones, but once you get it….it makes alot of sense.
Mike B – That’s a great way to start the day. Glad you are getting something out of the blog as I am enjoying doing it and it even helps me along my journey in life as well. It all starts everyday with our mindset…unfortunately most people start with negative news, traffic and never get set right from the start. The only thing we ever need to do is just awareness of what is happening in the present moment…as that is all we ever really have.
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Great post Mike.
Jacko is way off on this. Its not about trying to convince yourself that bad things are actually good, its about finding things in your life that you can be thankful for.
As an example, work may be stressful for you at the moment, but that’s just one tiny piece of your life. I’m willing to bet there’s tons of other stuff in your life that you could be thankful for if you thought it through – family, the fact you’ve got somewhere decent to live, heck – even that the sun’s out today.
Your happiness is dictated by what you focus on and taking some time out each day to remind yourself what’s good in your life makes all the difference. You also really start to notice how miserable and negative everyone else is…
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Chris – you are correct…as a business success coach once wrote “You become what you think about”….also there is a poem (and no I don’t ready poetry) I read back in college…and all I remember was the title “Act or React”….do we just react to things around us (which are usually mainly negative)..or do we just act based on who we are and what we believe in….most people react….we need more to just act in positive ways. Kind of like responding to comments that are only negative outbursts….as there are lessons everyday in life…first instinct would be to “react” and go tell him where he can put his words…..the better part of me would rather “act” and stay positive…well as much as I can.
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[...] that you can feel better by buying something else. That is a false assumption. Remember from the past post on happiness, we have everything we need right now. Show that by bringing nothing new into your life and [...]
I was asked to read this page and was looking forward to it and still am:)
|t pops up with an error, I only see the photo at the top and no text.
Is this a webmaster issue or my little deal.
Thanks, looks like a great site
Eric
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Eric – don’t know why it’s not coming up for you, can see it here just fine. Hopefully it was a passing error and it’s cleared up for you by now. Enjoy!
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Awesome awesome… yet another reminder that all we have in life is the moment we live at that moment, the only place where true choice lies… I have the “power of now” book, and audio book by Eckart Tolle as reminders. Highly Highly suggest these
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Matty J – Very good book “Power of Now”. We all need as many reminders as we can get…otherwise we get swept up in all the things around us. It’s all in our heads, sometimes we just need to slow down and remember that…..as a bad day is sometimes just our own fault inside and we can turn it around and make it whatever we want to be.
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I like this quote….
“There is neither good nor bad but that my MIND makes it so.”
Shakespeare
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