What is the key to happiness?
Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 8:36PM Why are you doing what you are doing? Ultimately, you want a good life. Do you have a good life? Is it working?
If not, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again and expecting a different result. So how do you get the result you want? 
It’s 2021, a new year. Yes we have a pandemic and a lot has changed. But I want to encourage you not to blame what you can’t have on the pandemic, the mitigation efforts that did or did not happen, other people and so forth. Remember that there is always an infinite number of opportunities. There are opportunities in good times and bad times. So don’t settle with the world events as a reason for your life to not be the way you would like it to be.
Not everything is always going to go your way. It is life. Pain happens, circumstances happens but suffering is a choice. Suffering is our response to something happening outside in our environment. Good news is suffering can end.
How long suffering lasts depends on 2 things:
1. Your Response to it
2. Your actions or inaction to move on
For example:
Negative Responses that are not helpful: (The following are common feelings that can feel quite real in the moment)
“This politician is horrible, if they don’t do that, I wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“I’m stuck, I don’t see a way out”
“I don’t have what they have, so it’s not possible for me”
“I’m so anxious and depressed, I’m paralyzed in my own emotions”
“What if I make a mistake”
Positive Responses that are helpful: (These can help reframe your situation)
“I’m grateful for what I have and more blessings will come to me”
“I can love those who don’t “understand me” yet”
“They may be mean to me, it’s not about me, but about their own suffering they are going through”
“There are infinite possibilities and opportunities for me”
“I can learn this lesson and move on”
“Successful people have made many mistakes; mistakes will not stop me”
They key to ending suffering and being happy is:
1. Having the right viewpoint and mindset
2. Saying the right words (to yourself and others)
3. Taking the right actions
4. Letting go and moving on
Studies show a correlation between happiness, health and longevity. The happiest people live longer. (Effects of happiness on physical health. R. Veenhoven. Journal of happiness studies Feb 28, 2007). Happiness is also associated with lower inflammatory markers before and after acute stress. (Ann behavior medicine April 2019). Immune system cells and the thyroid can cross talk and one study even indicated that thyroid function can be influenced by mood. Mood can affect functions such as histamine responses, immune system, serotonin levels and even blood clotting. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6544341/).
Your wellbeing, mood and happiness is very important to physical health as we can see. If you are wanting to take your life and health where you want to be, today is the day not to settle for less. Please feel free to contact me.