Recently I was thinking about happiness. What is it, and why can it be so elusive in one moment, and abundant in the next?

There are times when happiness seems distant to me. I’ll take an inventory of my life. I can’t see a reason for the absence of happiness. All my loved ones are healthy, business is good and I have an incredible life I could not have imagined even a few years ago.

Then, I wake up the next morning and suddenly I couldn’t be happier. I can’t explain the shift. Nothing has happened to explain the difference. However, the shift is real and I’m left scratching my head wondering why this happens.

After talking with a friend, I found my answer to these questions. When I’m unhappy it’s because I am creating, choosing or attracting unhappiness for myself. I’m not broken. I’m just focusing on the stories which make life seem like a problem.

Happiness is the feeling that comes over you when you know life is good. You can’t help but smile when you’re happy. When you are happy life flows along with relative ease.

If happiness is a feeling, then it’s something I create for myself. To say I will be happy when I know life is good, tells me happiness is simply some I believe to be true.

There are so many stories I tell myself to make me unhappy. One of my favourites is to focus on how much I have not accomplished in my lifetime. Another good one I love to use is to remind myself how difficult life can be. Another good one is how one day I will be successful enough to allow me to enjoy life.

Truthfully, those are all just stories I’m telling myself. I choose to reject them all. I have accomplished so much in my lifetime and I am proud of what I’ve created. I remind myself life doesn’t have to be a problem, if only I would stop making it one.

I know I am successful and am having a big impact in the world. I know I am loved as much as I love.

I’m happy.

Thought of the week

Happiness is like a barometer moved by the stories you tell yourself.

Your barometer will sink into the unhappiness zone when you tell yourself self-limiting stories. It’s like the storms which move in when the weather barometer drops.

Your barometer will rise when you tell yourself stories of limitless possibilities and accomplishments. The sun shines like a warm summer’s day where happiness seems so natural.

Everyone goes through periods of unhappiness. I do, and I know I will again. The next time you find yourself feeling down take a moment to listen to the stories you’re telling yourself.

Then rewrite the stories so they move from self-limiting to limitless.

My wish for you is this becomes one of the happiest weeks of your life.