Creating Happiness

From Lou Tice - 1/30/08

Everyone wants to be happy, but not everyone knows how. Today, I'll tell you about two ways to be happy, and one of them is guaranteed.

What does happiness mean to you? Some people think happiness is getting all or most of the things they want. They always have lists of new things they want or are about to get: cars, vacations, fancy clothes, new furniture for their houses, the latest electronic toys.

But often these people are deeply discontented, for no matter how much they acquire, they never seem to have enough. A new acquisition brings them pleasure, but only for a little while. Happiness is always in the future, always appearing, then disappearing.

Someone once said that there are two ways to be happy: the first is to have all the things that you want; the second is to have the wisdom to enjoy the things you have. When you practice the second way, you are able to appreciate the beauty that exists in the simplest elements of life. Even in hardship, you will find many reasons to feel joy on a daily basis.

Sure, you will feel good when you acquire something new. But your real and lasting happiness will be found in relationships, in simple pleasures, in nature, and in actions that show love.

If you remember that the time to be happy is now and the place to be happy is where you are, you will find a joy that no amount of money can buy.