Happiness

We all strive to find and keep happiness. When is the last time you really sat quietly and contemplated what happiness means to you? Does it depend on others or only on ourselves?  I believe happiness comes from inside of us and we and we alone are responsible for our own happiness. Only our own restrictions limit the happiness we experience. Isn't that just so freeing? It doesn't depend on...anything outside of us. It really does not!

So having something to look forward to, doing something for someone else, having a sense of purpose every morning when you get up, a group of like-minded people to support and be supported by, following your gut, always following your gut , stepping outside your comfort zone, having meaningful conversations, smiling and forgiving are all ingredients in the formula for happiness.
A further word on forgiveness...
"Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different. So you don't hold on to wishing that you'd had a different kind of brother, a different kind of mother, a different kind of family. You let that go and you move forward with the grace that God has given you. From this day on, forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different." Oprah Winfrey
Thank you Oprah; this has made forgiveness make sense to me and for me to be truly able to forgive.
As you take two minutes to consider peace for our world think about happiness.