We’re all in this world trying to find happiness and purpose. We all want to be accepted and feel good about who we are and are just trying to do the things we believe we must to get there. Often we think we know what our life should look like and what we must accomplish to find that happiness and feel satisfied.
Of course, life never goes according to our plans; sometimes we make mistakes and sometimes things happen that are completely out of our control that we could never have predicted, changing the course of our lives and throwing our plans out the window, making happiness seemingly that much more unattainable.
Change is the only constant in life, the only thing you can count on. Your future is uncertain–and that can be exciting and beautiful. Life is unpredictable, but trust that all things you experience can be to your benefit. Every hardship is an opportunity for growth and can lead to a life even better than you had previously planned for yourself.
There is no single right way to live life, no path to follow that will guarantee happiness and success. You are unique and your journey is unique to you. You define what your own happiness and success looks like.
Happiness, after all, is not a destination. It’s not the prize to be won or something to one day be obtained. Happiness is a way of being. You can be happy Now.
Your happiness doesn’t depend on the circumstances of your life, but rather the focus of your life. When you are confronted with a situation you have no power in controlling or changing, you can choose to change your own focus and attitude.
Even though you’re not where you wish to be yet, you don’t have to be miserable where you are. You can be happy Now. You can choose to love yourself while you are becoming the person you want to be. You can practice self-love and self-improvement.
Happiness Now starts from within. It starts with your own core-beliefs and self-integrity. Reflect on what is actually important to you and be true to those beliefs. Take control of what you speak into your life and what you believe about yourself. How we talk to ourselves greatly affects our lives–take advantage of that and choose the thoughts you let linger in your mind carefully.
There is real power in affirming your core beliefs. Self-affirmation has been shown to reduce stress and negative thoughts, improve self-esteem, education, health, and even relationship outcomes (among many other things). Your own thoughts and words toward yourself have the ability to either hold you back and limit your abilities, or create a more positive and flexible self-identity that is able to adapt to the changing circumstances of life (Cohen & Sherman, 2014).
It is certainly good to have goals and aspirations, and I promise you can achieve whatever you desire, as long as you believe in yourself and go forward with confidence. You will get there. But right now you are here, and here is wonderful.
No matter what challenges you are currently facing, remember that life will always move forward and that everything will work out in your favor in the end. Things don’t happen to you, they happen for you. Make the most of today and learn from your experiences to become an even-greater self. Be happy Now.
Trust the wait. Embrace the uncertainty. Enjoy the beauty of becoming.
Find affirmations for practicing self-compassion, positive self-talk, and so much more on the Selfpause app, or use the app to write and record your own affirmations!
