I like to be happy.  I like the feeling of well-being.  I love to wake up in the morning with thoughts of quiet enthusiasm.  I love to be happy.

But setting out to achieve happiness creates the opposite effect!  Really.  It is impossible to experience happiness by pursuing happiness.  it can’t be done.  The more happiness is pursued, the more it is elusive.  Happiness cannot be objectified.

Think of happiness as your heartbeat.  You probably have nothing to do with the beating of your heart right now, yet you are experiencing the fine effects of its presence.  Think of happiness as your lungs, breathing air in and out.  You probably have not even thought about the fact that as you read these words, you have been breathing in and out and sending what we call oxygen to all parts of your body.  You may try to keep outside influences away from preventing a good heartbeat and air supply, but, when you think about it, you are the heart and the lungs.  You do not need to pursue the heartbeat or the breathing.  You came this way.

Happiness is similar.  You came to earth with happy.  Whenever you are not bothered by worry, concern, duty, internal argument, and pessimistic acceptance of doom, you naturally rise back to the vibrations of happy.  Happy is your natural, hard-wired state.

Just like removing smoke from your lungs, or muscle stress from your heart, deciding that you do not choose to hold concerns, duties, arguments, frustrations, fears will allow your natural ability to experience well-being, happiness is continually possible — automatically.

There are levels of happiness.  Happiness is eternal.  It develops to unimaginable delights the more it is experienced.  Happiness dances vibrations that can only be experienced to be appreciated.  You cannot talk or really write about happiness to achieve happiness.  You can only stop thinking about old ways of approaching life that get in the way of happiness.  When you stop and clear out old ways of thinking, you permit happiness to penetrate you and your life, and the lives of those around you.  

Stop thinking about happiness.  Start eliminating worry about whether you have enough money, or enough friends, or enough anything.  Eliminating duty and enjoy everything you have.  Stop trying to get more and enjoy what you have.  Stop trying to get well and enjoy the health you have.  Stop trying to find the love of your life and enjoy yourself and those around you.  Stop trying to be the best Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother, Teacher, Boss, Worker, Driver, Dancer, Actor, Trainer, …. stop it…..Enjoy who you are!  That is where happiness lives.

Stop worrying about your city, your schools, your government, your leaders.  I know it sounds like that is very poor advice.  But stop giving attention to all the things that are wrong with your world and give attention to what is RIGHT with your world.  That is the only way you can let the good things in.  

It is you who is stopping your own happiness.  You cannot keep blaming others.  You cannot keep wishing for better times, while feeling like you are continually stopped by some outside force.  Nothing can stop the one who is within you.  You are your center of happiness.  You are your power for good.  There is no other.

So stop thinking about achieving anything and live.  Trust yourself.  Make way for yourself, your truest self, your happy self.  Make way by eliminating every worry, every concern, every frustration.  Refuse to give your attention to negative thinking.  The most powerful tool you have in achieving anything you desire:  happy family, happy job, happy finances, happy surrounding, is to be appreciative of what is right in front of you.  This simple tool will open opportunities for more.  Dance through the day and forget trying to achieve.  See if your day does not provide delightful surprises of what you now consider success.  It is achieved through the door of appreciating and through happy dancing!