Finding happiness is the number one feeling we all seek as human beings. It is more important than money, health, or relationships. Without happiness, it is unlikely that you are even able to enjoy and appreciate those things.

This is one of my favourite quotes. “Happiness, is when what you think and what you say and what you feel, are in harmony,” Mahatma Gandhi. It makes perfect sense, it is simple and you would think an easy thing to do. But if it was, then why are so many people unhappy?

Happiness brings us greater health, greater wealth, and more honest and loving relationships. It is our greatest gift. For when we are happy, everyone around us is happy, and we attract positive circumstances into our lives. Life just flows easily and effortlessly.

Basing your personal happiness upon a successful relationship, or doing well in your chosen profession, or your social standing in life, is building your happiness upon very shakey foundations. It could be likened to constructing a pyramid, made of playing cards. If you pull just one of those cards away, the whole structure collapses. Happiness that is based on this, is not real, it is simply an illusion.

I believe, the key to finding true happiness always starts within. It is about liking yourself as you are. It is about staying true to your own inner moral compass and integrity. It is about, not, trying to be someone you are not, simply to gain love or approval from others. Accept that you are perfect just as you are. Happiness is a spiritual journey. It is a discovery of who we really are. It is a lesson in living in peace.

Love and light
Kaz

How often in life do we say to ourselves, nothing I do ever works out? I always seem to have bad luck! Why do bad things happen to me? Many, simply accept this situation and carry on through life with a pessimistic attitude. Not realising, that the answer to changing their lives, in a positive and fulfilling way, lies within their own grasp. The answer my friends; is Positive Thinking! First of all, no one has to accept their life as it is. Rarely, is bad luck or difficult circumstances a result of a random occurrence. Accept in the situations of ill health or Acts of God. Even then, ill health in many cases can be prevented by living a healthy lifestyle.

If you have been a heavy drinker or smoker for 20 years, you cannot blame bad luck on developing a debilitating illness which is linked to these substances. Anymore then you can blame God, if you insist on taking unnecessary risks in your daily life and then end up getting hurt, and yet many do.

I believe, the reason for this is, that human beings find it easier to blame God, fate or other people for their own shortcomings, or unhappy, unsuccessful lives, then to accept responsibility for it themselves. They either cannot see, or do not want to see, that often what is happening is a result of lack of foresight, poor judgment and decision making. Often going back months or years building up to this point in time. We cannot change the past, but we can change the present and the future, by making some important and positive changes in our lives. The most important one, from which everything else will spring for me is developing a positive and strong mental attitude.

Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind thoughts, words and images that are conductive to growth, expansion and success. It is a mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Not a pessimistic, I can’t, wont, its too hard attitude. Whatever the mind expects, it finds. A quote I love by the Buddha says it all for me. “We are what we think. All that we are, arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”

Positive thinking is a mental attitude that sees the bright side of life. Positive thinking is a mental attitude and state of mind, which focuses on the full half of the glass and not on the empty half. It is a mental attitude that expects positive results. Being positive, means seeing the silver lining in every dark cloud; Knowing that above the clouds the sun is shining brightly; that after the rain ceases, the rainbow comes. Positive thinking, is about seeing difficulties as challenges; The power of positive thinking is like a car with a powerful engine that can take you to the summit of a mountain.

The mind is a extremely powerful tool, but just like the body, if it is not used in the right way or looked after properly, it can become weak and lazy. The amount of energy the body consumes while dealing with the stress from anxious and negative thoughts, is far higher then thinking positive, happy ones. Just like any habit, it takes time to break the mind of thinking in a negative way. But it can be done! If you are truly unhappy with the way your life is now, then I cannot think of a better incentive for you, to change things and embrace this new and powerful way of thinking.

True positive thinking is not just saying that everything will be okay, as a lip service, and at the same time think about failure. In order to bring beneficial changes and improvement into your life, positive thinking has to become your predominant mental attitude throughout the day. It has to turn into a way of life.

So, how can you develop this positive state of mind? You can do so by reading inspiring and motivating literature, and through visualization, affirmations and meditation. Use your local library; use this forum, it has many interesting posts on personal growth and development.

It is also very important to remember that a healthy mind needs a healthy body. Try to eat more healthily; Take some gentle exercise, and make time to relax properly. Start with baby steps. Often we fall at the first hurdle, because we put too much pressure upon ourselves. So start today, an old cliche, but a very true one is ‘make this day, the first day of the rest of your life’. There is nothing and no one that can stop you, only you! Do not be a passenger on the bus of life, take control and be the driver. Live the life you were meant to live, a Positive and Happy one.