Happiness Boosters
July 22, 2010 by guest
Filed under Guest Space
I am so excited to welcome Tess Marshall as our guest author this week. More about Tess below.
We live in a society that puts an invisible halo on celebrities, work, money, status and stuff. We’ve been accustomed to living in times of unprecedented levels of material wealth and still have a tendency to experience emotional bankruptcy.
I’m not against material stuff or external success. I don’t care to renounce it, only dethrone it. Happiness is a part of who we are, wherever we are there it is. We only have to unearth it.
The following tips will allow you to find a treasure of happiness within.
Focus on inner wealth
Your inner wealth allows you to experience happiness in the joy of being alive and in the wisdom of knowing all of your needs are met. Inner wealth is expressed when you become kind, gentle and peaceful toward yourselves and others.
Happiness is expressing forgiveness with a generous spirit. When I can transform my fear into love, blame into responsibility, my arrogance into humility, trade my shame, my awkwardness at being human for the wisdom that makes for a loving, kind and creative life… I am happy.
Relationships are the most important element of a happy life
We hunger for joyful connection and meaningful lives. Without both, it’s impossible to be happy.
You can experience our innate goodness and state of happiness by living in a consciousness of love. As you allow love to easily flow in and out of our lives you experience happiness.
Shower yourself with love
Learn to honor and respect yourself. Feed your body with a healthy diet of food, your mind with uplifting, inspiring words, and music and your spirit with everything beautiful. Give the kindness, compassion and friendship you demand from others to you to yourself. Forgive and accept your entire being. When you hold nothing back, life holds nothing back from you.
Be of service to others
When you do good, you feel good. One good deed at a time, one day at a time generates emotional and spiritual wealth. Give freely of your time, talent and money. Actively contribute to peace, compassion, and loving kindness.
Give yourself permission to ask for help
Life is messy and difficult. Give up perfection. It isn’t necessary to “do it all.”
Learn to ask for what you need. What you need is a gift waiting to be claimed. Until you can ask for and receive help, the gift remains unavailable. Allow others to feel and express happiness through their desire to help you. Get out of your own way.
Just be
Happiness becomes available when you lay down the burdens of comparing, competition and striving. When you do a sense of peace and well-being spreads like nectar into every nook and cranny of your being. You are enough today and always.
Hang out with the holy
Toxic relationships will steal your calm and delight. Notice the state of your mind, body and soul when you spend time with friends and family. Do you feel depleted or energized? Do you feel inspired or defeated? There are nearly seven billion people on the planet. Find people who are on the road of Truth and befriend them.
Refuse to rage against the world
Let go of the past and forgive your parents or primary caretakers. Turn off the news and fill your mind with wonderful poetry and your space with a single beautiful flower. Stop waiting to be rescued. You are your own answer.
Find a place or cause, be of service and make a difference on the planet. Choose to respond to life in an extraordinary way. Be the one to energize, motivate and inspire others to do the same.
Recover reverence for the earth
Live with what Matthew Fox, an Episcopal priest, calls radical amazement. Spend time in nature and allow it to heal and nurture you. Visualize and thank our planet, surround it with tiny red hearts and envelope it in gratitude and loving energy before falling asleep at night.
Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk was able to see only good not only in himself but in others. I share his thoughts, “If only they could all see themselves as they really are. If only we could see each other that way all the time. There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more greed… I suppose the big problem would be that we would fall down and worship each other.”
I ask you, “Are you willing and ready to live in a state of happiness and bliss?” When you are, you will.
Photo Source: Untitled by Vladimir Fedotov
About our Guest Author
Tess Marshall has a Masters Degree in counseling psychology and is the mover and shaker at TheBoldLife.com.
Author of “Flying By the Seat of Your Soul”, Tess will hold you accountable for being the boldest you’ve ever been in every area of your life! What would you do if you were 10 times bolder?
You’re also invited to follow Tess on Twitter.
It was great to see you here today, Tess, at Karen’s lovely spot. Your words reminded me of two areas that I have really been letting slide lately, to my detriment. I won’t beat myself up about this, but your words were good nudges for me to pay these areas some attention … and soon. Thank you!
Hope you are well and enjoying a fabulous summer.
Welcome to the Calm Space, Tess.
Two of the tips you have suggested here, those being not renouncing, but dethroning the material and external stuff, and giving up on our ideas of perfection, have already become priorities in my life recently, espcially so this year.
My daily goal is to strive for a peaceful existance, which has recently given me so much happiness, in the least expected places!
Your article is jammed packed with so much helpful advice, I believe I may have to Tweet about it! Many, many thanks.
Hi Tess, it’s wonderful how everything flows. I loved the, refuse to rage against the world, passage. Thank you, Simon.
Chaina Girl,
I’m Happy I could help. Nope don’t beat yourself up for a thing instead jot down 10 things you did right today. If our ego is going to keep score let’s teach it how;)
Joanne,
Thank you very much for your lovely praise. When our intention and actions promote a peaceful existence we become the happiness we seek! Thanks for the tweet…I’m going to guess you did it!
I can so get behind the idea of radical amazement! How spine tingling is that phrase alone? Great advice here for seeing things with new eyes and embracing life with an open heart. What a treat to run across your words today. A very happy thank you for that.
I enjoyed reading your post, Tess (as always!). Thank you.
“Stop waiting to be rescued.”
“Find people who are on the road of Truth and befriend them.”
Oh my, there are so many shiny things here — I want to collect them and fly away. I love the way you see things, Tess. This is beautiful.
~xo
Mom, your post is precisely the nourishment I needed for my soul today. I will relaim my focus starting right now. Thanks for the reminder that I have the power to boost my own happiness.
Hi Tess
I love the quote at the end. To see one another as we are – to see ourselves as we are – what a gift. That would be a site to behold. A wonderful article.
Dear Tess, this simply breathe-ably beautiful, by that I mean it just feels like a deep nourishing breath. It is just GORGEOUS. I relate to all of it and especially love the Nature part. She is so ME and I am so HER. I was touched you included that part, because often it is not included in our healing, our holiness, or our memories of who we really are and what we are connected to and inseparably part of. Your soul shines dear Tess, it just RADIATES, and I love you for that…and more. Robin
I find that when I take my dog for a walk, surrounded by nature, my stress drips off and I can enjoy life again. I try to do this every night. Part of the therapy is watching my dog have a blast, but the other part is the distractions that nature creates. There is always something beautiful to look at. Just a simple tree is an amazing wonder to me. The time and energy to grow so tall and so old is a miracle. I can’t worry about work when surrounded by such beauty.
This walk is my happiness booster that I could never do without.
Tess,
I very much relate to 2 (Relationships) and 4 (service to others). When I feel down I reach out to people I love and have fun with. And just today, during a down moment I had the opportunity arise to volunteer my time in September at a camp for kids with chronic heart problems, and my mood lifted the moment I said yes.
Sometimes it’s hard to do. I think an often missed step is acknowledging when we aren’t feeling happy or our best, and then moving towards a more positive place. What do you think?
Beautiful, Tess. Like a warm hug. This was quiet wisdom from somewhere deep. ~Julie
Well this is just the most fantastic thing ever! Tess, you’ve done it again. I love the idea of all of us falling down at each others’ feet, worshiping each other. What a Divine idea!
I know for me, one of the best things I’ve done in the last five years is to intentionally seek out (or let the Universe bring me) light-minded people. One of my favorite affirmations that worked wonders in altering the composition of my inner circle was: “Every day I am meeting new and incredible people, especially light workers. My life is filled with light workers.” Sure enough, now it’s rare to find me even interacting with people who aren’t at least moderately spiritually inclined. It feels really, really good to be surrounded by high vibrational people.
Awesome post! I’m sharing this with friends!
Hi Tess
You had me at “We live….” From reading that powerful introduction, I welcomed your words with pleasure and joy as you laid out beautifully the positive, solution side to us being the best for ourselves, others and this world.
May we continue to unleash the infinite beauty and love that is within us!
Hi Tess,
I love this entire post!! My heart overflows with joy as I read it…thank you!
“Happiness is a part of who we are, wherever we are there it is. We only have to unearth it..*that* is the key to happiness…not the latest gadget, beautiful weather, huge home, right outfit, list of contacts a mile long….Whatever external we think it is..*is not* I can choose to be happy be embracing this moment exactly as it is presented to me, exactly where I am, with exactly what I have internally..I can choose to be peace filled, always, so I may approach the world with a smile that matches my inner radiance….
Your suggestions are all right on..
Simon,
It’s nice to see you over here. You fit in well at the calm space;)
CC
Yes I love those words as well and are part of my vocabulary for ever!I’m grateful you stopped by!
Lori,
Oh those are great words, “collect them and fly away.” I’m following you!
Kristy,
You rock. Thanks for coming over and I love it that you’re having your first interview published. Yippee!
TE
Yes if we all did this is would be heaven on earth. I think it would be fun to worship or love each other all the time;)
Robin,
What have I done to attract you into my life? How blessed we are in our blogging community. Thanks for stopping by I know how busy you are with your new book and tour and all. I’m blessed and grateful.
Karl,
Thanks God for dogs and I loved your guest author today. Smiles to you today and always.
Julie,
Thank you and I’m glad you resonated with it and came by;)
Stacey,
That’s so true and what a wonderful gift you brought those kids today.
Megan,
Well how awesome and original that idea is! Why the heck haven’t I figured that out…I need more light minded friends. Haven’t even heard that term before. Today I had the beginning of the end of a friendship. I met someone for coffee that I know I have to let go of. The think is she is elderly and sick. I decided to let go gently and with grace. She needs someone that can be a better friend to her than I. I’m just not on her path and don’t think I ever was. Thanks for the love, wisdom and insight. I’m loving and worshiping you today.
Evita,
Yes infinite beauty and love. You’re an awesome friend Evita. Thank you. xo
Joy,
I love that you’re in my life because you remind me when I forget and that’s the best gift anyone can receive. I love you!
Great Job Tess….I wish I could just let go of my rage against the world….but trying to make the world a better place is high on my calling!