#517: Permission for Happiness

Podcast #517   PERMISSION FOR HAPPINESS     REVIEW OF THE WEEK: No matter where you are in your life and in your thinking, this podcast has so much to offer you. I've grown more in just a few weeks than I have grown from years of therapy. -Amber Lauren   PERMISSION FOR HAPPINESS Most people seek happiness when happiness is actually a choice. The Huffington Post republished an article from Collective Evolution entitled, “The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying”  1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. 2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard. 3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings. 4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. 5. I wish I had let myself be happier.   Know When You Feel Happiness * Pause * Lean in * Describe it * Notice how it feels in your body * Write it down * Know what things bring you joy Often, we have happy lives that we discount because we are too busy with the next thing and on getting through the day that we don't actually notice, feel or enjoy the happiness.   Happiness Thought Blockers This isn't going to last. I don't deserve this. Why should I have nice things - I should be more practical. It's not fair to be happy when others are struggling. Don't focus on happiness, it will attract tragedy.  I need to do this better / I need to be better. They're "ahead" of me. (Any comparison thought)    Why Aren't We Happy? We don't believe we can be. We aren't paying attention to our thoughts and unhappiness narrative. We are a dress-rehearsing tragedy. We are weighing ourselves down by not guarding our minds. We are allowing fear to direct us instead of faith. We aren't committed to the small habits and follow-through we promise ourselves and so we live constantly disappointed in ourselves and our lives - and unhappiness is a result of our own doing.  We aren't taking responsibility to choose happiness and thinking about things on purpose that will create happiness.   Permission Slip to Have: * Give yourself permission to have goals. Happiness comes from believing that what you do matters. Joy comes from the challenge of the process and the fulfillment we feel when we see progress. * Give yourself permission to be a life-long student. This takes the pressure off, releases you from perfectionism, and sparks joy. * Give yourself permission be enjoy the little things. This builds appreciation, satisfaction in life, and joie de vivre. This is not silly, it is not unimportant - it is wise. * Give yourself permission to trust God. His goodness will not run out, and He created you with the capacity to be happ...