Can You Say Yes To Happiness? 11 Practical Steps You Can Take To Make It Really Happen
Can you say yes to happiness? Yes, you can. All you need to do is ask how much happier your life would be if certain changes were made and then follow through. But before we get more into what those changes might be, let's first ask, why is happiness a goal of yours? Maybe it's because your sense of fulfillment and contentment are dwindling and something needs to change. Or maybe it's because the world around you has brought on feelings of sadness or dissatisfaction that you're tired of living with. Regardless of the reason, if you're seeking a more fulfilling life and surrounding yourself with circumstances that will make you feel fulfilled and happy, then you must first understand what happiness really is.
What is Happiness?
Before we delve into the practical steps to making your life happier, it's important to understand what happiness actually is. When you think about happiness, many people tend to think of it as just a feeling or state of being. Although that's part of it—happiness does certainly have a mood associated with it—Happiness is not a feeling or mood; rather, it's an actual experience. Happiness is actually a way of living, a way of being. And you experience happiness when you're in the flow of life.
That's right; being happy is more than "feeling good," it's actually doing good. And doing good has very little to do with what happens in the outer world and everything to do with how you choose to live in the outer world—through your thoughts, words, and actions. In fact, your entire experience is created by your thoughts—which are choices—your words—which are actions—and your actions or behaviors—which also comes from choices or decisions.
When you think and speak, or act, in a way that is not aligned with your true essence, then you're putting out "no" energy. And when you consistently send out "no" energy, your life becomes one of misery and unhappiness.
Now that we know the reference to happiness is more than just a feeling or state of mind, let's consider what exactly it takes to be happy. In order to experience happiness fully and for more than just a momentary period of time—and if you really want to experience something tangible like this—then you need to first "see" that which will cause happiness in your life.
The following list of eleven steps is not a guarantee for happiness. Nor will these actions guarantee success in every endeavor, be it personal or professional.
But they do present an opportunity to make your life significantly happier and more fulfilling than it is now. And that's what matters most.
1. Set Clear Goals For Your Life
What you put out into the universe on a consistent basis depends on what goals you have set for yourself. If your goals are clear, then it's easier to stay focused, clear and deliberate about where you're going in life and why you're doing what you're doing along the way.
It's not about where you're going; it's about why you're going and what you are doing along the way.
2. Tap Into Your True Essence
The first step to being happy is to tap into your true essence, which you will find by listening to your heart when what is on the inside needs attention. We are often too busy trying to effect change in the outer world, but fail to listen adequately to our intuitive inner core. This is especially true if we have developed an outer layer of ego that has become larger than ourselves and simultaneously has become self-centered and overly focused on self-satisfaction at the expense of others.
Your true essence is your inner self, the part of you that loves unconditionally and always wants what's best for everyone involved. When you listen to your intuition, you're tapping into your true essence because when you do this you are being guided by the universal universe. When this happens, it means that everything in life is working in harmony and supports your requests.
When you learn to listen to the right voice—which is not an everyday thing—you'll find that life works in ways that are far more efficient and effective than they did before.
3. Get Clarity On Your Word Choice
The third step toward creating happiness in your life is to make sure you are speaking words that will get you to where you want to be in life. It's all about taking action, and word choice is the catalyst for action. And it doesn't matter if you're using positive or negative words; what matters most is that you are being clear and deliberate with your word choice.
The spoken words we use are an extension of thought, and thought is a projection of our beliefs, which in turn creates a reflection of who we really are based on what our deepest beliefs have been from prior experiences.
So then, if you are not being clear and deliberate with your word choice, you will indeed get what the reflection of who you really are.
4. Take Action From Your Heart
Your heart is the anchor for your soul's message. And when you choose to live from your heart, choosing action from that center of well-being, then life gets better and better with every step. The more you listen to your inner voice and act upon it, the more in line with who you are and what matters most to you in life that this happens. In turn, it means that whatever is on the inside will be brought forth on the outside as a reflection of who you really are at a core level.
5. Keep Your Focus On What's Permanent And What's Inevitable
When you focus your attention on what is permanent, what is real, true and authentic, then you're more likely to be happy and successful. It all comes down to the type of energy you put out into the universe.
Our thoughts and words have an impact on our lives because we are constantly projecting them out into the universe. When we think positive thoughts, we create a positive projection in the universe; when we speak negative words or thoughts, then this creates a negative projection in the universe. Because of this, it is absolutely essential to keep your focus on what is permanent and inevitable as that can help create a more pleasant life for you.
When you focus on the life you want, which is what is permanent and inevitable, then your life will reflect that focus and keep moving toward that on a consistent basis.
6. Throw Out The Negative Thinking Patterns That Are Holding You Back
Negative thinking patterns are the very things that are holding you back from experiencing happiness in your life. These negative thoughts can also prevent you from making positive choices and decisions that can lead to happiness as well as create self-sabotaging behaviors in life.
You may not even be aware of these negative thought patterns, but they've been there with you all along, acting as roadblocks to success and creating an environment where failure is more likely to occur than success.
Conclusion
If you want to experience happiness in your life, then start by becoming aware of your thoughts, words and actions so you can make positive changes for the better.
You don't have to change yourself; you're changing how you see yourself. And that's a good thing.
Happiness is a fluid thing that is always changing as it is based on what we focus on regardless of how we feel at any given time. Everything is changeable, and it's all about how we choose to make our lives work best for us during each moment of every day. It's up to us.