I Want You To Be Happy

I know that it’s a rather bold statement to make, but I do want you to be happy. There are so many things in this world that can bring you down and I just don’t want to be one of them. I would much rather find a way to raise you up. Some of you may not agree with me, but that’s probably because you’re my family and think I am here to torture you. That was then, this is now. Keep moving forward folks.

Are you happy? I understand that being happy all the time is a “no” for non-enlightened beings (I wonder about the enlightened ones, too), but can you state that 50% of your time awake is a happy time? More? Less? I really hope it’s more.

I’ve been thinking about how our happiness can have an effect on the world. That if we can stop the anger, stress, and sorrow when it comes to us, and not spread it to others, we could very well prevent the issues that are happening in our lives and the lives of others. We may even improve upon the lives we have and the lives we touch.

Now, happiness isn’t some out of reach point in life. It’s not something only the beautiful, rich, or furry have. It is something that we can all find inside us. Right now. Just imagine a moment when you were really happy. Like, stupidly happy. By bringing that feeling into this moment and this moment becomes better. It costs you nothing because it is no-thing. Pretty cool, right? You can change the mood of a situation by bringing in better emotions or, at least by not labeling a situation as bad. It’s not bad, it just is.

You may be wondering what to do with the times when you are not happy. There is this book that I am reading (re-reading, actually) by Eckhart Tolle called A New Earth and it explains this a bit. I’m going to simplify the idea for you, but it states that there are three states you can be in while going through your life in a more positive manner. He calls it “the three modalities of awakened doing.” I think of it more as a new way to see each situation.

The first way to look at where you are and what is happening is through acceptance. If you can’t enjoy it, but have to do it, then choose to accept it. Being angry about it or making others feel poorly about it turns the situation into a problem. Problems in our lives make us unhappy, so let’s avoid turning any situation into a problem. Say to yourself, “This is what I have to do right now. I accept it for what it is. This moment will move me onto the next moment.” Please use a moment of acceptance as a time to be kind and non-judgmental on yourself, others, or situations.

The next way of seeing a situation is through enjoyment. What can you enjoy about the place you’re in at this moment. I’m currently sitting on my bed, writing, and listening to the kids next door play. I am enjoying all of this. Nothing is really happening, but I am happy with where I am. To just enjoy whatever is going on for the fact that it is going on. Life is moving forward and sometimes I get to be part of it. Sometimes I just get to observe.

The final way to view life is with enthusiasm. This is when you are enjoying a situation and are excited about whatever comes next. You could be planning a picnic or planning your life goals. The idea is to feel enthusiastic about whatever you are doing. It brings joy or a feeling of purpose into your life. Adding a goal to the things that you enjoy will give you the ultimate vibe of happiness. Writing makes me happy, so how can I do more of it? I love helping people. How can I do more of that? Can I do them both? Yep, right now. Big ball of enthusiasm here!

So there are three ways that we can view our lives that stops us from labeling them as “bad.” We can accept that the situation is what it is for the time being (and maybe plan the next move to make to change it). We can enjoy what we have, do, see and feel in most any given moment. And we can be enthusiastic about our goals, dreams, and purpose in life. It’s surprisingly simple, but we humans have to complicate everything. Try not to over-think this.

I told the truth when I said that I want you to be happy. I know you want to be happy, too. The amazing thing about it is that you don’t have to move mountains to be happy. A shift in thinking, and the mountains will move for you. Or maybe the mountains were never really there, you just thought they were. Maybe you are the mountain.

If you can’t figure it out on your own, talk to me. I’m a good listener, mostly. Late at night is iffy.

I wish you the joy of the unrestricted.

Katie