Happy Essence Blog

The Pursuit of Happiness Sans Psychopharmaceuticals

September 23rd, 2009

In the United States alone, $85 per person is spent on psychopharmaceuticals!  These are prescription and over-the-counter drugs designed to treat emotional disorders, which means that these are used in the pursuit of happiness.  Did you know, however, that you can do away, or at least, lessen your dependence on these psychopharmaceuticals in your pursuit of happiness? 

Communicating Positively

The pursuit of happiness involves interactions with other people. As such, communication is key towards achieving happiness especially communication with friends and family.  However, when you do communicate, always strive for a positive tone.  This way, you can concentrate on your triumphs and be happy with them instead of focusing on the trials and become unhappy. After all, the pursuit of happiness must generally be a happy journey.

Also, you must cultivate quality relationships by sharing your personal feelings and sharing in the personal feelings of another.  (No, talking about mundane things like sports and the weather will not cut it) You need to focus on quality of true friends instead of quantity of acquaintances.   Any therapist will tell you that surrounding yourself with good, honest and true friends is one of the best cures for depression. 

Caring for Others

It’s good to be good.  You will find that helping others in their own pursuit of happiness helps your own quest, too. Indeed, the happiness of others when you help them help themselves can be your source of happiness, too! 

You do not have to become a superhero saving the world from monsters like famine, war and abuse.  Often, the little things in life - caring for an adopted pet, volunteering in a homeless shelter, feeding a hungry person - will provide a stronger sense of purpose. Thus, your pursuit of happiness also acquires a stronger sense of achievement.  Besides, caring for others make you realize just how lucky you are.  And who needs psychopharmaceuticals to make you feel happy when you know it?

Cultivating Yourself

The pursuit of happiness is a highly personal journey.  As such, you will need all the personal strengths that you can get.  And for you to do this, you have to cultivate yourself. 

You can attend personal development seminars, set aside time for yourself, surround yourself with good friends, and always compliment yourself for a job well done, to name a few things you can do to cultivate yourself in the pursuit of happiness. The important thing is that you love yourself more than others can possibly love you. 

However, you must use your strengths to achieve purposes greater than your own personal goals.  You will discover that in doing so, your pursuit of happiness acquires greater purpose, greater passion and greater pleasure. 

Any psychologist will tell you that being happy sans uppers involves making the conscious choice to become happy with who and what you are.  Acceptance is the key in healing, after all.

In conclusion, the pursuit of happiness sans psychopharmaceuticals hinges on communicating to others, caring for others and cultivating your inner self.   

For more tips on how best to carry out the pursuit of happiness, log on to www.happyessence.com today!

The Golden Rule in the Pursuit of Happiness

September 17th, 2009

Among the inalienable rights of man, as asserted by the United States Constitution, is the pursuit of happiness. Through the ages, philosophers, prophets and movie producers alike have put forth countless ways to make the pursuit of happiness easier, faster and better.  And then the Golden Rule comes in.  Virtually every philosopher from Confucius to Christ have their take on it, either stated positively or negatively, but all of them pointing to one thing - Do unto others as you would have them do unto yourself.  So, how is the Golden Rule related to the pursuit of happiness?  

Happiness Must be Achieved with Others in Mind

Without a doubt, the pursuit of happiness is a very personal quest as happiness itself is a very personal emotion.  As such, it can be a selfish activity.  However, your pursuit of happiness must be undertaken with the happiness of other people in your mind.  You do not live in a vacuum and you do not achieve true happiness by making others unhappy by your selfish actions.  Besides, you would not want others to be happy at your suffering, would you?

Of course, this does not mean that you have to make others happy all the time because then you will never be happy.  This simply means that in your pursuit of happiness, you have stepped on as little toes as possible as much as you would like that the pursuit of happiness of the people around you does not come at the expense of your toes, so to speak.  Now, this truly harks back to the Golden Rule. 

Happiness Must be Shared with Others

The fruits of the pursuit of happiness must be shared with others.  You will discover to your delight that your joy instantly doubles itself when someone else is happy for you!  For example, if you achieved your dream of winning the Olympic Gold, sharing the honor with your family and friends make them happy, too. 

Besides, it is only right that you share since they, too, had a hand in your pursuit of happiness, thanks to their encouragement and support through your ups and downs.  Plus, they can count on you to do the same for them. 

When you have followed the Golden Rule in loving and living during your pursuit of happiness, you will truly enjoy the fruits of your labor.  Life is, after all, about giving to others so that you, too, may be able to receive in full measure.

Don’t think either that it is about material wealth, this giving and receiving in full measure.  Happiness, after all, is best measured with the things in life that you cannot see, only feel such as joy in the kiss of a baby. 

For more tips on how best to carry out the pursuit of happiness, log on to www.happyessence.com today!

How to Be Happy in the Past, Present and Future

September 10th, 2009

Happiness is often an elusive emotion.  This is especially true under times of stress, of pressure and of tragedy, all of which are understandable reasons to be unhappy.    However, did you know that there are ways how to be happy in the past, present and future, regardless of circumstances?

Forgive the Past

First of all, you have to realize that forgiving the past does not necessarily mean forgetting about it, far from it.  After all, the past made us the way we are today, not to mention that the ways how to be happy depend on looking to your past and finding the times that made you truly happy.

Basically, forgiving the past means forgiving the mistakes of the past.  You cannot go back in time and do things differently, no matter how hard you wish you can.  And when you continually dwell on the mistakes of the past, you will always live in the past.  Or at least, be haunted by its ghosts.  And what good will it do to your quest to find the ways how to be happy? 

So, starting today, you must forgive yourself and other people whom you have done wrong and who have done you wrong.  You will find that the issue of how to be happy in your misery often resolves itself when you have forgiven and been forgiven. 

Enjoy the Present

If there is one thing you can control in your life, it is right here, right now. As such, you have the capacity to enjoy the present to the fullest simply because you have taken the conscious decision to be happy.  And that is the best way to satisfy the ways how to be happy!

When you come to think of it, you must live your life like today is your last day on Earth.  You will delightedly discover that life’s little delights can often be fully enjoyed when you think of it that way.

However, always remember that the ways how to be happy also require responsible actions on your part. You do live in a society, not a vacuum. You never know if someone else is thinking of ways how to be happy and it involves making you happy!

Anticipate the Future

Well, of course, we cannot control the future as much as we cannot change the past.   However, the ways how to be happy involve anticipating the future, no matter what it brings and what it holds for us.  Thus, even as you live each day like it is your last, always look forward to the future.  After all, your future may be brighter than it is at present.  You never know, especially not with happiness.  

In conclusion, how to be happy is a matter of forgiving the sins of the past, enjoying the happiness of the present and anticipating the joys of the future.  You will soon find that when you live life this way, the question of how to be happy finally finds its answer.  You just are happy because you chose to be happy!

For more tips on how to be happy, be sure to visit www.happyessence.com today!

How to be Happy: Big Way through Little Blessings

September 1st, 2009

Oftentimes, human nature prevents us from being happy even when know the ways how to be happy, thanks to countless motivational books, articles and shows.  If this sad state of affairs is happening in your life right now, don’t despair because there is big hope in little things for you and countless others. 

Find the Little Blessings

It must be emphasized that finding the little blessings in your life as the first step in how to be happy does not demand some form of spirituality and religiousness, far from it.  You just have to look more closely and observe more acutely the little things in your life that you can be happy about.

For example, look back into a day when you felt happiest at the simplest of things, say, sharing a few laughs over a silly joke with your child.  Now, think of the other ways that sharing something, anything and everything with your child made for little nuggets of happiness.

Soon, those little nuggets will add up to big parts of your life.  And then the matter of how to be happy will cease to be a question in your life.  You just are happy, pure and simple.

Be Happy with Little Blessings

Now, it is time to consciously take on the responsibility to satisfy the ways how to be happy with the little things in life.  Yes, happiness is a conscious decision.  If you must, you can keep a mental list of these little blessings.  In this way, you will not forget that your life can be a happy one, thanks to all the little blessings that pour daily.  And remember that the simpler the things in your list, the better for your quest in how to be happy in a big way with the little things.

After all, happiness is contentment and satisfaction.  The more you hinge your happiness on big things, especially wealth, the less you will feel happy.  Then, you will have defeated the purpose of looking for answers to the question of how to be happy in big ways through little things.

Share Your Little Blessings

Last but definitely the most important, you have to share your little blessings and, consequently, your happiness.  Indeed, the countless resources dealing on the subject of how to be happy always emphasize the value of sharing.

By sharing your happiness, you are like the proverbial candle lighting the way for others.  And when you do, you might just find yourself with people who are happier simply because you made them happy.  How is that for actually passing on the ways how to be happy to others?

Indeed, the answer to the question of how to be happy in these unhappy times lies within your inner self.  You have consciously and actively seek out, be happy and share the little blessings in your life, whatever they may be. 

For more tips on how to be happy, be sure to visit www.happyessence.com today!

 

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