Happiness doesn’t come naturally to most people. Happiness is not just for the rich. Happiness is not just for people with many friends. Happiness is something that we can all find.
Disclaimer: I understand that there are some people who have a much harder time finding happiness because of mental imbalances. I understand how much harder it is for those who have chemical imbalances to find a state of happiness. I am talking to people who do not have health conditions or side effects from medications that may affect mood.
When you see someone that is happy all the time or always smiling, don’t look at them with envy. They likely work very hard to be happy.
I am one of those people. I have not had an easy life. I’ve lost people I love. I’ve never had a lot of money. People ask me all the time, “How can you be so happy all the time.” I’m not happy all the time. But I work at finding reasons to be happy.
I count my blessings daily. Then I remember that I have reasons to be happy.
Blessings can be big or small. It can be the fact that you can wake up daily to the coffee you love. A blessing can be the sun shining on your face. You may count the phone call from a friend as a blessing. The fact that you can get up in the morning, knowing that all your limbs work, your organs are doing their job, and modern science has helped you keep relatively healthy.
It’s easy to overlook blessings when you are busy looking at what other people have. The thing you need to remember is that they may look at what their neighbors have, too. So, they may not even see the blessings you see.
Try to stay focused on what you have instead of what you don’t have. Actively look for things in your life that make you feel blessed. People, things, activities — they can all count as blessings.
And while you’re counting your blessings, try to contribute blessings to other people’s lives. Be that friend that is there when needed. Give of your time. Share your blessings. Invite someone for a meal or bring them a meal. Give small gifts if you can.
When you give blessings they are returned!
Once you count your blessings, it is easier to find more of them. It becomes a natural thing to do. Over time, you see blessings everywhere. And the more you see them, the easier it becomes to feel happy.
