Happiness Is Everything
Think about a time in your life—maybe it’s now—when you were truly happy. We’re not talking about the garden variety type of happiness, when you get accolades for a job well done or your child brings home a great report card. We’re referring to the deep-down-in-your-bones type of happiness—what you feel when the stars align and everything in your life just seems to magically fall into place.
Think back to how you felt at that time. Did anything hurt? Did you have any major complaints—physically or emotionally? The answer is likely, “No.” And why might that be? Once you experience deep happiness, you open your heart to discover limitless joy. The goal of all Eastern training and spiritual practice is to discover joy. Yet, in order to feel happiness or joy, your body has to function in balance so your mind can be balanced. Deep meditation teaches you to have a peaceful, empty heart. In the East, we believe the mind is controlled by the heart. A peaceful mind is never talked about as the ultimate goal—it’s opening the heart, having a peaceful heart full of unconditional love.
Once you’ve reached that level where your body, mind, and spirit are in balance, disease cannot enter. It’s not easy to reach this level of peacefulness, but here are a few tips to get you started on your journey to limitless joy:
- Let It Go!
Name the things that drag you down then try to let go of them, one-by-one. Have patience and reward yourself each step of the way. This is a journey! Repeat this to yourself multiple times each day, “I do not need ___ anymore. It’s okay for me to let it go now.”
- Find Your Ohm
Find that which makes you peaceful. It may be playing soft music, meditating, practicing Qigong, or any number of things that help your insides calm down and allow peace to enter.
- Giggle—A Lot!
Laughter is the sure sign of happiness. What tickles your funny bone? Is it a night out at a comedy club? Do it more often! Is it a funny show? Tape the whole series and laugh your way through it. Is it an old friend? Reconnect—again and again. Sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to be happy. So do it. Find what makes you happy and soak it up. This life is yours after all, and you deserve to live a happy one.
