Thursday, February 19, 2004

Choosing Happiness 

When life is focused only on Goodness, there is only one choice.
When life is focused on what is good for me, the choices are infinite.

When life is filled with what we like, then we think what we like makes us happy.
This Happiness is conditional on having the relationships, home, job, money and health that we want.
This Happiness is temporary and follows the flow of what life brings.

If the partner isn’t what we want, we badger, nag and leave emotionally or physically.
If the job isn’t what we think we deserve, we become resentful, resistant and fail to give our best.
If our finances are not what we believe we should have, we are discouraged, depressed and feel bad.
When we don’t have what we want, we shut down our love for self, our love for life and withhold our best.
Our likes, our desires, our pleasures seem to determine our state of mind and our emotional state.

When life is focused on being content and at peace with what is, then we are always happy.
True Happiness is our inner natural state and has nothing to do with the temporary circumstances of life.
True Happiness has no conditions and is a conscious choice.
True happiness is a gift we give ourselves everyday.
True Happiness is lasting and emanates a resilient joy for all to see and feel.

I have noticed as I try to figure out what will “make” me or you happy, I am confused and conflicted.
I observe that my conflict yields unhappiness and lack of peace. Conflict causes stress and pain.
When I seek what you and I like or want, I recognize the subsequent happiness is temporary and dependent on life circumstances.
Goals we seek and achieve may provide temporary pleasure and then may be followed by emptiness, depression, meaninglessness and the question “What now?”

Human consciousness is led by what brings us joy. And yet that joy is usually temporary.
Thus we are at the effect of the human condition. We are victims of circumstances.
What would happen if we cease the confusion, conflict and stress of trying to figure out how to make ourselves happy?
What would happen if we simply forgive our endless seeking and choose to quiet the mind, suspend our willfulness and simply and effortlessly choose to be happy with what is…..
What would happen if we give up seeking and simply enjoy what is?
Are we addicted and attached to the process of seeking, finding and trying not to lose what we have found?

Today, right now, I am willing to be happy and content with what is.
I am willing to experience this moment with gratitude and joy.
I am willing to forgive my judgments and love all things as they are.
I am willing to be at home with myself.
I am willing to know the Godness and Goodness in all things.
I am content. I am at peace.
I trust in the Love and Joy within me.

In Joy,
Betty Lue