What makes you happy? Not what you think makes you happy — what truly makes you happy?
I asked myself that question, and I was amazed with how hard it was to come up with an answer immediately. I had to think about it seriously.
Unfortunately, many of us think of things and people when asked what makes us happy but, in fact, they don’t. Those are the things we think make us happy. We think of answers that sound good, but aren’t actually true.
Most of us are overthinkers. We try to analyze and overthink everything. We often forget to listen to that soft inner voice. That ever-present voice that always seem to have the right answers, but yet, we seldom listen to.
That soft voice that seem to be able to block out the noise, distractions, and other nonsensical things going on around us and get to the heart of the matter.
We all want to be happy, and many of us frankly have been searching in every little crevice and corner of our life, trying to find happiness. Some of us have traveled the world over, engaging in happiness seminars, happiness camps, reading happiness blogs and books. Yet, all we find are someone’s perception of what happiness is, and we are left high and dry.
The reason we try so hard to find happiness is because somehow we believe that happiness is something we find, and so we constantly search, hoping that one day we will accidentally bump into it.
Happiness is always around us, and all we have to do is open our hearts and minds to receive it. We cannot find happiness because it was never lost.
Below are 12 of the many ways you often stumble onto happiness.
1. You stumble onto happiness when you are overtaken with sudden joy.
You suddenly realize that this moment is all you have, and it instantly becomes precious, and for some reason you just become happy.
Something happens in your life, and it’s joyous and amazing and suddenly you realize how happy you are.
This could be the birth of a child or just meeting someone you haven’t seen in years, and all the great memories rush over you and for that moment you realize you are happy. That moment you are overcome with happiness and joy.
2. You stumble onto happiness when you realize how blessed you are.
The things you have taken for granted are brought before you, and you instantly see how much you have to be grateful for. You have taken things for granted, not realizing that there are others worst off than you. You complain about your life and in an instant things change and you realize you are blessed.
You could be walking down the street, and you see someone in need and realize that this could have been you. You then suddenly realize how blessed you are, because you have more than enough. You are overcome with happiness.
3. You stumble onto happiness when you realize how much you are loved.
You have been with the same partner for a while and, like anything else, it becomes routine. You do the same things over and over again, and things become normal.
Then, you hear of someone getting a divorce and in that instant you are awoken by the gravity of how loved you are. At that moment, you become happy and emotional because you realize you have been happy all this time.
4. You stumble onto happiness when you realize that your children are safe from harm.
You sometimes think you haven’t been happy since your children were born. You were happy then. Here they are now — bundles of energy, and they get on your nerves and mess things up and you become tired and overworked.
Then, you take a moment just to sit and think and you realize your precious children are safe, secure and healthy, and you are overcome with happiness. You realize that you have been happy all along.
5. You stumble onto happiness when you realize you are happy with who you are.
You have struggled to find yourself and to know who you are for years. During your search, you realize that you are happy with who you are. All this time you’ve wasted trying to be someone else, and suddenly you realize that you are indeed very special. You are now happy in your skin. You were happy all along, but never knew it.
6. You stumble onto happiness when you realize how much you have to give.
You have never thought of helping or giving to any cause because you never thought you had anything to offer.
You decide to lend a helping hand to someone else and, low and below, you realize that you indeed have more to offer than you thought. You can, in fact, contribute to someone else’s life. You are happy because you now know you are more than enough.
7. You stumble onto happiness when you realize how kind you are.
You are busy with your life, and you do things for people, not always taking the things you do seriously. Then, one day someone sends you a thank you note for being kind, and you realize for the first time in a long time that you are indeed happy because you have the power of kindness.
8. You stumble onto happiness when you realize that you are patient.
You have been impatient — running from left to right for some time and not slowing down. You become agitated with everything that gets in your way.
Then, one day you are driving down the street, and someone needs to cross. Even though you are busy and late, you decide to allow them to pass. You now realize you can be patient, and it’s a great feeling. You are happy, even if for that split second, and it feels good.
9. You stumble onto happiness when you realize you are healthy.
You take your health for granted, not paying particular attention to your body until one day you hear of someone who is very ill. You realize that you have every reason to be happy because you are in great health. You have been happy all along, but never took the time to notice.
10. You stumble onto happiness when you realize you are safe.
You watch the news, and it suddenly dawns on you that you can go to bed without fear. There aren’t bombs dropping in your neighborhood, and you take a deep breath and realize you are happy. You are happy because you feel safe.
11. You stumble onto happiness when you realize that you are lucky to have a job.
You go to work every day and go through the routine without much thought. You might even complain about the job and your boss.
You run into someone who isn’t so lucky and you realize you are happy. In spite of all that is happening with the job, you are happy. You can pay your bills, you can support yourself, and that makes you happy.
12. You stumble onto happiness when you realize how much you have to be happy for.
You can always find something to be happy for. This list is endless, and if you take the time to look into your life, you will find so many reasons to be happy.
Many times, the simple path to being happy begins with you realizing that happiness is nothing to be found. It is a decision you make anytime you want to.
Do not allow yourself to keep stumbling into happiness. Start being happy every minute of the day, because happiness is everywhere in your life — you only have to decide that you want to be happy.
It takes nothing for you to be happy but for you to make that choice.
Featured photo credit: Mother and Children/Gagilas via imcreator.com
