How To Be Happy

I went through several thoughts in my head right before I started writing this post. I thought 'I could write about happiness, but my expanded consciousness allows me to be happy. I'll write about that." Then I thought "Steve Pavlina has certainly said more on that topic than I could. I'll write about happiness." Then, lastly, I decided that happiness and consciousness for me were intertwined and that I could not write about one without writing about the other. But before we get into all those deep topics: a status report.

30 Day Trial Index:

Day 10 - Midnight Trial

Day 5 - Programming Trial

Day 5 - Blogging Trial

In programming, I attempted a program that was probably beyond my current abilities. I learnt about the rand function used to produce random numbers though, and over the next two games I want to program a basic combat and a random number generator that gives you feedback based on what you roll ("You rolled AWESOMELY!" "You rolled TERRIBLY!") so I have plenty to keep me occupied.

I felt brilliant today. Despite being sick, tired and cold at about 9 pm (I haven't slept well due to my fever, alternating too hot and too cold) I felt ALIVE. I could almost SEE positive energy bathing the area around me: and I felt very connected to myself and to the universe.

As strange as it sounds, it was an experience that actually makes me think there may be other powers in the universe: spirits, psychic energy, etc. Since I'm normally the ultimate sceptic, this was something I never, ever, EVER would have expected. Not in a million years. But now I know that ignoring the energy around me was just another way of limiting myself.

As for happiness: I love this world. Hence, the more consciousness I have, the more I can see and express and feel, the happier I become. I feel that learning more about the world does not expose it's sorrows, but rather it's profound joys. I feel at peace within myself and within the larger scheme of things as I write this. It's a wonderful, incredible feeling.

So how can you experience such a thing for yourself? It won't happen overnight. It's been 3-4 months since I first gave myself a kick in the rear: and I'm surprised things have progressed so fast! I'd like to take the opportunity to again recommend www.stevepavlina.com, which gives me a dollar every time I announce that Steve is the modern incarnation of Jesus. I could buy a pretty good restaurant meal with my income so far if it were true:)

The first thing to do is, to WANT to escape the negative cycle, and KNOW that there IS an escape. Merely recognising there is a light at the end of the tunnel and moving towards it will help. After that, you want to condition your environment, and your thoughts, to reflect positivity. Set your screensaver to something that makes you smile. Put little motivations everywhere, and soon enough you'll actually WANT to get out of bed in the morning (I certainly do!)

Next comes potentially the most painful part. You must consciously face the most negative aspects of your life, and deal with them. Whether this be your job, your friends, other circumstances: work on them with all your strength. If it's friends, tell them about your earnest attempts to be positive. If they cling to their negativity, get new friends. It's worth it: your enjoyment of life will increase a hundredfold soon enough.

Whatever the most negative sources are in your life: do one of three things. Firstly, try to deflect it. Make it positive, not negative. If that doesn't work, eliminate it. If it's your friends, associate with more positive people. If it's your job, get one that makes you want to go to work, not dread it. The final option is minimizing your interaction with it. This generally should only happen in a few cases: if school is a negative influence, for example, and your parents refuse to let you leave, and you simply CANNOT deflect it: minimize the impact it has on your life.

You know when my positive change started? When I left school and started doing what I really WANTED to do. I went to TAFE, studied IT: and despite all the computer knowledge I've learnt, the happiness I've gained is worth twenty times that.

Once you remove the negative influences, it's time to reach for the heights you know you can gain. Find something that empowers you. Find your passion: find a reason to get up every day. For me, that's helping people. Every day, getting up is exciting to me because I know the world will be a better place before I go to sleep.

Blogging this blog is no challenge to me, if I have the time for it. These words are flowing easily: I'm typing almost as fast as I could type a document that I had to copy out, or if I was typing on MSN, typing whatever comes into my head: which is sort of what I'm doing. I just channel my thoughts to the topic and let my brain think. (I think my ability to type without thinking about it helps. I'm not focusing on the physical aspect of typing at all.)

Once you've found your passion: live it. If you live it, you can improve your happiness. What could be happier than knowing that every day you're doing the thing that you value more than anything else in the world? It's so empowering, that I feel my 17 years before my change was just a shadow compared to what I have become: an empowered force of good that resonates with happiness to the core and spreads that to others every day.

No matter the risk: no matter the sacrifices that you have to make, there is no greater risk or sacrifice in life than living as a shadow: so far below your potential that it's ridiculous. Step into the light: and show the world who you are. And when you do, you'll look back at your life: and then you'll realise how bright the future is, and you'll embrace your heritage as the valuable person you truly can be: all you need to do is to let your light fill you and then shine into the world.

The road to happiness requires commitment: but once you're up there: you'll wonder how (IF) you could ever have lived without it.

Until next time, may you let your light shine.