Finding Happiness

“When a man has put a limit on what he will do, he has put a limit on what he can do."

- Charles Schwab

A life that lacks happiness will remain boring and unfulfilled. Many people have limited themselves from being happy. They allow the ugly events that had happened to them deprive them of happiness. Happiness gives life a meaning and lack of it makes life tormenting.

You should never deprive yourself of happiness. Happiness is an inside job. It is what you can give to yourself not what anyone can give to you. Many people misunderstand pleasure for happiness. The fact that something gives you pleasure doesn't mean it can make you happy. Nothing and no one else can make you happy, but you.

There are people who have made up their minds to never be happy. They allow life issues to dictate how they live their lives. Many people believe that they will be happy when they have their own home, make a lot of money or find the right relationship. Attributing happiness to such things only limits the level of one’s real happiness.

There are people who have houses, billions of dollars piled in their bank accounts, and they can travel to the best places in this world, but they are really unhappy with their lives. Until you don’t limit your happiness to anything and resolve to be happy with what you are, you will never find inner happiness.

Dennis Prager said in a Readers Digest article as he differentiated

between pleasure and happiness, “Fun (pleasure) is what we experience during an act; happiness; is what we experience after an act. It is deeper, more abiding emotion.” He says that going to an amusement park or ball game and watching a movie or television are fun activities. They help us relax, temporarily, forget our problems, and maybe even laugh, but they do not bring happiness because their positive effects end when the fun ends. Again, until and unless we’re happy with ourselves, we are unlikely to be happy.

Attitude is a habit. Happiness is an attitude. Just as Will Rogers said, “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” You are the instigator and creator of your happiness. You are the only one responsible for your happiness. If you are unhappy with your life, you need to do some soul searching to see if you have placed a limitation upon yourself. People who are victims to self imposed limitations are unhappy and unfulfilled people. They have no reason to be happy for anything. They have loss the value and essence of life.

Mr. Prager also points out that “The way people cling to believe that a fun-filled, pain free life equals happiness, actually diminish their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If the fun and pleasure equated with happiness, then pain must be equated with unhappiness, but in fact the opposite is true.More times than not, things that lead to happiness involve some pain.”

You can set yourself free to be happy. Happiness is a matter of choice. You can choose to be happy and attract happiness into your life when you let go off those limiting thoughts and habits holding you back. Remember that happiness is the secret to enjoying a healthy and longer life. The most boring and unhappy people in life are those who have enslaved themselves to limitation and closed their minds from been happy as a result of events and circumstances of life. Don’t live such a life. Happiness is a by- product of who you are, what you do and what you belief. The level of happiness that flows in you determines the level of inner peace and freedom that your mind generates. Happiness gives freedom and lack of it gives boredom. It’s left for you to choose between freedom and boredom. In our today’s world, people have resorted to alcohol, drugs, pornography, gambling and illicit sex, in search of happiness. These addictions only destroy one from enjoying the real happiness, thus limiting their real happiness.

Happiness is something that you build on your own. Not what something else creates or gives to you. It is something that you strive

for, on your own and it is not going to depend on something or what someone else does for you or to you.

It is true that we all deserve to be happy. Yes it is, but we should free our minds from those things that limit us from being happy. Be it a heart break, failed relationship or the disappointments from the people we love. We should be responsible for our own happiness and not depend on others to make us happy. James Allen said, “We are what we think.” When we think about the things that make us happy and give ourselves reasons why we should be happy, happiness will radiate into our lives. Happiness starts with you. When you free your mind from negative thoughts of limitations, you can find true happiness.

If you will forget about your past failures and mistakes and forgive those people that hurt you in different ways, then you can enjoy inner peace of mind. Resolve to make happiness your ultimate goal in life, and until you free your mind, you may never find it. Happiness boosts your mental health and enriches your life. Happiness gives you the right mental attitude to live your life the way you desire.

Written By

Michael Ediale