When we begin a search for happiness, there are two old sayings that can be very helpful. The first says that we will become what we think about. If we are dissatisfied and unhappy with our present life, it means that we need to begin thinking about the life we would like. However, the second old saying reminds us that we must either accept the responsibility of designing a life we want, or be willing to accept the often unhappy reality of living a life that someone else has designed for us. We can blame others for our present situation, or we can take responsibility for our present situation.....but we can't do both. We must choose our path. We cannot change that which we refuse to accept about ourselves. This means that if we are going to design a new and happier life for our selves, we must we willing to take full responsibility for the life that we have consciously or unconsciously created for ourselves up to this moment.


mindfulness


Most of the unhappiness and stress in our lives comes from each of us thinking that we are the center of the universe and each of us is trying to change the reality of our world from what it is, into how we think it should be. But the world is a pretty big place, and it's saying no to us. Creating a happier life requires a life long commitment of developing the skills and spiritual disciplines needed to live each moment of our lives with what is.


One day a young fish wanted to find the ocean. He had been told that if he could find the ocean, he would discover happiness and the very meaning of life itself. Every one he asked told him that to find the ocean, he would have to study, work hard, be very good and faithful, obey all the religious rules, and pray very hard. For years he studied, worked hard, prayed hard, obeyed the rules and tried to be a good and faithful fish. After many years of struggle he still had not found the ocean and he was very unhappy and discouraged. Some said he was having a mid-life crisis when he set out on a spiritual journey one day to find the oldest and wisest fish in the sea. Everyone assured him that the oldest and wisest fish was very knowledgeable in such spiritual matters. It was said that the oldest and wisest fish lived at the very bottom of the sea. It was a long and difficult journey, but after many days he came upon the wise old fish. He approached the enlightened one and asked him how he could find the ocean. The wise old fish simply laughed and took him in as a student.


positive psychology


The great teachers of every religious and spiritual tradition have taught that peace and happiness are like love and wisdom, they can never be found out in the world because they are not of the world!. Thus they cannot be earned and we cannot work to get them. In fact they laughed and told us we already possess all the peace and happiness there is! They urged us to remove the veils of our own ego driven beliefs and desires so we could discover the simple truth that happiness and peace are simply experienced, but only when we turn our focus inward thru self awareness.

All of creation is sacred. We cannot create a spiritual life. We are already living one. We cannot find happiness. We already have it. Is it possible that we can develop the ability to see clearly the sacred that surrounds us? Is it possible that we could learn to remove the veils of our own egos that keep us from experiencing the happiness that we already possess? Could we learn to live gently and peacefully with what is? If so, the spiritual teachers remind us that it is a work that we can do only for ourselves.


Happiness