This is a happiness blog about how to be happy! Who am I, you may be wondering? I am a middle-aged female who has been through the wringer and back again. I have been unhappy in my life and happy. In fact, there was a period of time when I spent 10 years being extremely unhappy! Recently I discovered the secret to happiness that I now want to share with you.
My personal story – I have experienced many setbacks and failures, I have been hurt and betrayed many times, heartbroken, cheated on, you name it. I have meandered and have been lost for many years, not knowing what I wanted, who I am or what my real passions are, but eventually found my way. I have experienced a full range of life experiences that includes so many highs coupled with so many lows.
I have worked in various settings as a mental health counselor. I also studied psychology for many years, professionally and in graduate school, and through self-improvement books and articles. I have worked as an online entrepreneur and have studied the methods and philosophies of those who are positive-minded and highly successful. Lastly, I have been assisting people on a mental health forum for the last five years where I hear countless stories of hopelessness and unhappiness.
So where does that bring me now? Today I am the happiest I have ever been in my life, and you know what the secret formula is? After many years, I finally discovered the secret to happiness that was so simple and basic it practically blew my mind. The simple truth I discovered is that happiness is a personal choice. Happiness is not a goal to be pursued or achieved after doing X, Y or Z – NO. Happiness is something we can choose on a daily basis, if we choose to see life in the most positive of ways through all we experience. It is that simple!
There is even scientific proof that happiness is a choice!
Of course, filling our lives up with all the things we love and enjoy, being around those who make us happy and pursuing work we love and enjoy are also pathways to our happiness. But ultimately, inner happiness is much more related to our attitude toward life than anything else.
But when the chips are down and when we face numerous disappointments, or in the face of adversity, can we still be happy? Or what if we are grappling with severe illness, the death of a loved one, the loss of a home, natural disasters and devastation, global crises, etc., can we still be happy? The answer is yes – IF we choose to be. There is a reason for the saying, “adversity makes us stronger.” Adversity does not need to ruin us; again, it is all a matter of our attitude and approach to life for being happy, or for feeling happy feelings, even under stressful circumstances.
In my happiness blog, I offer practical, no nonsense tips on ways to be happy based on personal experience, my education and my professional life. I blog about the common issues people face that prevent happiness and provide concrete guidance on how to improve happiness in daily living.
So, explore my blog to find out the secret ingredients for how to be happy!