| We talk about happiness every day of our lives in our | | | | rehab, and Whitney Houston with the perennial |
| elusive search for it. We see happiness as something | | | | problems with Bobby Brown. They might be very rich |
| external we can just pluck out of nowhere when we | | | | people but has their money helped in their search for |
| want it, just call it up when we want to have a better | | | | self-appreciation and love? If we are unhappy with our |
| day. Moreover, happiness seems to affect everyone | | | | nose, no amount of fiddling with our hands will sort the |
| else except us. If you are looking to the outside world | | | | problem with that nose until we address the real issue. |
| or to material things for happiness you are looking in | | | | Many celebrities believe that fame and fortune will |
| the wrong place. Real happiness cannot be found in | | | | make them happy, but then reach their desired |
| outside of us. Often we are denied happiness because | | | | rainbow only to find that they left their pot of gold way |
| we don't know how to begin the search. | | | | behind them. Happiness starts from within, when we |
| Happiness has given us humans a lot of trouble for | | | | are truly happy with who we are and seek no |
| three main reasons. First, we don't know how to define | | | | approval. When we can accept our warts and failings |
| happiness to suit ourselves. Everyone defines | | | | and realise that nothing detracts from the magnificent |
| happiness in a different way. Quite simply, many | | | | and amazing beings we are. |
| people don't know what they want to make them | | | | Finally, happiness eludes us because we think we do |
| happy so their choices change literally according to | | | | not deserve it. |
| their moods. They believe happiness is something they | | | | I met a guy once whom I really liked but we never got |
| work towards not realising, or accepting, that | | | | off the ground because he kept saying how he didn't |
| happiness starts inside of us first. It is not an ideal | | | | deserve me or such a wonderful relationship. He was |
| destination we spend our life heading for. It actually is | | | | dwelling on the fears in his head instead of giving |
| with us every day, from this minute, and demonstrates | | | | thanks for us finding each other. Naturally, his fears |
| itself in how we love and appreciate ourself. How can | | | | became a self-fulfilling prophecy because his negative |
| we ever find happiness if we don't know what it | | | | thoughts began to sabotage possible meetings. As he |
| means for us? | | | | felt he didn't deserve me, he immediately put mental |
| How can we be truly happy if we are not clear about | | | | barriers to enjoying my company. Somehow, there |
| what makes us happy or we expect others to fulfil | | | | was always a crisis whenever we set dates. He then |
| that need? Defining what would make you happy, | | | | felt terrible about it, which increased his feelings of |
| whether your purpose in life, your desires or visions, is | | | | inadequacy and reinforced his thoughts of being |
| the very first step to being truly happy. It means when | | | | undeserving even more, in an unending vicious circle. |
| those things appear you will recognise them instead of | | | | We cannot have the opposite of what we are thinking. |
| living in ignorance of who you are and what makes | | | | We have to think as we mean it to happen to get the |
| you tick. | | | | results we are after. |
| Second, we are always looking for happiness with | | | | So begin the process of defining happiness as it |
| someone else or with material things. We often believe | | | | means to YOU. What would really make you happy |
| that getting a new dress, a new car, new flat, new | | | | for the next few years? NOT forever, because we |
| yacht will do the trick: to bring us that elusive happiness | | | | evolve as people and our needs inevitably change with |
| we have sought. But any material things give us | | | | time, and not just for a moment either. Then look inside |
| moments of temporary JOY. They do not give long | | | | of you to see how you feel about yourself and how |
| term happiness. Material things help us to enjoy various | | | | that happiness will sit with your general contentment |
| aspects of life that money can buy but they bring no | | | | and esteem. Then believe you deserve it because we |
| happiness where we live without self love, without | | | | all deserve happiness. Some people are not just sent |
| esteem, without love for others and without care and | | | | here to suffer and some to be happy. We all face the |
| compassion. We can have everything in the world at | | | | same possibilities. Our outcomes depend on the |
| our fingertips, but if we lack self-love and contentment, | | | | choices we personally make which then decide the |
| especially when we feel like crap, we will remain | | | | direction we ultimately travel: whether towards finding |
| unhappy. | | | | that elusive happiness or moving even further away |
| Address the Real Issues | | | | from it. |
| Cue stars like Britney Spears, Robbie Williams, both in | | | | |