Happiness Lives Within Us

True happiness can not be bought. It must be felt, within. All the possessions in the World could not buy you true happiness.

I had the pleasure of meeting a very eccentric but lovely man not so long ago whilst waiting for a hot chocolate in my favourite coffee shop. He commented on my slightly retro coat, and told me how he’d had a similar one many decades ago. He questioned why so many things go out of fashion and then years later, are all the rage again. “Why get rid of something that is perfectly fine in the first place?”

The conversation moved to modern technology and people’s needs to have the most up to date phone, laptop or tablet, even though their predecessors are more than capable of completing tasks or functions. His last words before we parted were: “They sadly think these possessions will bring them happiness…”

This got me thinking hard about what he’d said, and you know what, I think that quirky chap had a good point.

Are we obsessed with the luxuries and desires in life because we somehow feel that they will fulfill us? Do we pin our happiness on the acquisition of an external item? Whether that item be a car, home, phone, job, relationship or large sum of money, will it really bring us true happiness?

“Happiness comes from within. It is not dependent on external things or on other people. You become vulnerable and can be easily hurt when your feelings of security and happiness depend on the behaviour and actions of other people.Never give your power to anyone else” – Brian L Weiss

External items don’t last. As soon as that item is no longer “fresh”, “new” or “in fashion”, the so called happiness we experienced fades, and we start craving for the next thing. Almost like an addiction you will be constantly seeking your next fix. Your next fix of happiness.

External items may not always come to us as quickly as we would hope. For instance: a relationship. You may be telling yourself you will feel happy when you meet Mr or Mrs Right and are no longer alone, however, it may take years for you to find your perfect partner. Why wait for this external person to come along to feel happy? Why not feel happy now for you and all you are/have? (Who knows, through finding true inner happiness now you may even find you draw that perfect person into your life quicker than you thought!)

Happiness is not something that will “come to us”. It is not an end product or a destination. It has no time frame. It is a state of being which can be found in all of us, now, if we choose to ignite and nurture it. It lives within us.

“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet”  – James Openheim

When we constantly focus on what we don’t have now, we are focusing on lack. As our thoughts create things, we are therefore creating more circumstances of “lack” in our lives. When we keep telling ourselves, “I’ll be happy when I’ve got that” or “I’ll be content when I’ve attained this”, we are actually shouting out to the Universe that you are unhappy now and you will be as long as you don’t have what you desire. The Universe hears that and therefore sends you more circumstances of not having what you desire and feeling unhappy because of that.

When we realise and accept that in fact, we are happy now, just to be ourselves, without attaching it to anything outside of us, we are shouting out to the Universe that we are happy with all we are and all we have. The Universe will hear that, and, in return, will provide you an abundance of more reasons to be happy. Happiness attracts happiness.

“Happiness doesn’t depend on any external conditions, it is governed by our mental attitude” – Dale Carnegie

Your happiness should never rely on anything. It is a wonderful state within you and is always with you.

“If you want to be happy, be” – Leo Tolstoy

Don’t wait for happiness to happen to you! Choose to be happy NOW.

Love and blessings,

Fairy GodMuma xxx

Find your happiness WITHIN

Guess who’s back?

Hello Poppets

Fairy GodMuma would like to apologise for not having blogged recently.

I’ve been taking a little time out to holiday and spend some quality time with my family, but I am back and intend to begin blogging very soon.

I hope that you are all well and that there has been plenty of magic in your lives in my absence!

Love and blessings,

Fairy GodMuma xxx

Dare to Be

Imagine what you could acheive if you only dared to follow your dreams and take that step out of your comfort zone.

 

So much of our lives are spent, living in fear and not taking risks. Fear of the unknown, fear of resentment, fear of rejection, fear of failure. If we never took risks, we would never progress in life or reach our true potential. We would, quite frankly, stagnate.

 

Think of something that you have always longed to do, but haven’t yet acheived. What obstacles would you say have stopped you from acheiving it? Money? Time? Responsibilities? Skills? Competition? Fear?

 

“Fear grows in darkness; if you think there’s a bogeyman around, turn on the light” – Dorothy Thompson

 

Now ask yourself, what steps you could take to overcome these obstacles? Could you put some money aside each month? Could you cut back on other trivial activities to allow yourself extra time to dedicate to reaching your goal? Could you do a long distance course to equip you with the skills required?

 

Could you let go of your fears and take that exciting leap into the wonderful world of opportunity?

 

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do” – Eleanor Roosevelt

 

Before you tell yourself, “That’s not possible” or “It’s unrealistic”, let me tell you about a man called Chris Gardner, who you may know as the inspiration for the film ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’.

 

According to his web site, Gardner’s childhood was “marked by poverty, domestic violence, alcoholism, sexual abuse and family illiteracy”. He spent considerable time homeless and living on the streets with his young son, whilst trying to pursue a career in finance despite not having any experience in it, or even a college degree. He received a spot on the Dean Witter Reynolds training program, but couldn’t afford to live off of the small salary, and his wife eventually left. Despite all of this, he beat all the odds and is now a motivational speaker and CEO of Gardner Rich LLC with offices in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. He has also written two bestselling books: his autobiography “The Pursuit of Happyness” and “Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.”Gardner praises his mother for his success as she provided him with strong “spiritual genetics” and taught him that in spite of where he came from, he could chart another path and attain whatever goals he set for himself.

 

Gardner didnt let homelessness, poverty, fear or obstacles hold him back from being the very best he could be. So why should you?

 

“Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death” – James F Bymes

 

To finish, just ask yourself, what would happen if you didn’t take a chance? Would you look back in years to come, regretting not taking the opportunity when you had it? Sure, you may take a risk and things may not work out as you had planned, but there is also the chance it could work out perfectly and your lifes dreams be fulfilled. Surely its better to walk through that open door and experience the amazing opportunities it may lead you to, rather than close the door and never know…

 

Seize the moment, take the leap, reach for your dreams… and dare to be.

 

Love and blessings,

 

Fairy GodMuma xxx

 

 

“When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully.

 

When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light.

 

When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it.

 

When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway.

 

When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back.

 

When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some.

When you’re feeling tired, dare to keep going.

When times are tough, dare to be tougher.

When love hurts you, dare to love again.

When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal.

When another is lost, dare to help them find the way.

When a friend falls, dare to be the first to extend a hand.

When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile.

When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too.

When the day has ended, dare to feel as you’ve done your best.

Dare to be the best you can –

At all times, Dare to be!”

– Steve Maraboli

You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile

Whatever you are doing right now, no matter how you are feeling, just stop for one second, fill your heart with the warmth of something that makes you happy… and smile. Suddenly the World seems that little bit better, doesn’t it?

“You’ll find that life is still worthwhile, if you just smile” – Charles Chaplin

Smiling has such magical qualities. Not only for the person smiling, but for the people receiving it too.

We were born with the ability to smile. It is not something that is learnt; it is a built in mechanism with fantastic health and emotional benefits!

Psychologists have found that by putting a smile on your face, can instantly lift your spirits, because of the endorphins released. These amazing brain chemicals work even if you are in the foulest of moods and have to fake a smile! The name Endorphin is intended to mean “a morphine-like substance originating from within the body” and it can help to promote a feeling of well being and relaxation. This relaxed state can help boost our immune system, keep us in good health and prevent and reduce stress. Smiling can really improve your health, and could even prolong your life!

Do you really need any more reasons to get a smile on your face?

“Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing” – Mother Theresa

A smile is universally recognised in all languages, in all countries and cultures. I always feel deeply touched when a stranger passes and smiles at me. Its almost as if they have telepathically shared with me, some of the good feelings they may have been having.  Some may think I’m completely crazy, but I try to smile at everyone I come into contact with. It is a simple gesture which has such powerful connotations. Without speaking, a smile can express so much; happiness, appreciation, understanding and love.

“Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love” – Mother Theresa

Smiles are scientifically proven to be contagious. So by smiling, you are actually helping those around you to feel healthier, happier and more at peace! Imagine if today we all made the conscious effort to smile at everyone we met. We could perhaps start a smile epidemic! Now wouldn’t that be magical!

“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity” – Joseph Addison  

Today, before you leave your house, make sure you are wearing the best and most important outfit you own: Your smile. You are never fully dressed without it. And when there are so many wonderful things in life to smile about, why wouldn’t you??

Love and blessings,

Fairy GodMuma xxx

Smile – it could seriously improve your life!

 

Choose to be Happy!

 

I dont think I have ever met someone who truly wanted to be unhappy. We all want to live a fulfilling, loving and joyful life. Surely the desire to be happy is born within us? Well we can be and we deserve to be. Each and every one of us! All you have to do is make a choice… The choice to be happy.

“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be” ~ Abraham Lincoln

No one else is responsible for the way you feel. Only you are. You are in control of your mind, body, thoughts and emotions and therefore, only you can choose how to respond to a situation. Someone elses words or actions, or an external circumstance may have  triggered an emotional response within yourself, but it is up to you whether you respond negatively or positively.

If someone upsets us, you could replay that conversation or encounter over and over in your head, hearing the harsh words that were spoken and experiencing the painful emotions repeatedly. However, all we are doing here, is focusing our time and energy on the negative, which will only draw more pain and sorrow into our lives. You chose to react in this way. Therefore, you are responsible for how awful you are feeling right now.

“Simply put, you believe that things or people make you unhappy, but this is not accurate. You make yourself unhappy” – Wayne Dyer

Alternatively, if someone upsets you, you could acknowledge what they have said and the feelings you initially experience, but then instead of dwelling on it, thank them for their opinion (in your head or out loud) and then move on. Their opinion is just that – their opinion. It does not mean it is fact. Replace any negative thoughts or feelings you may have initially had, with positive confident ones. Now doesn’t that feel better?

The only person who gets hurt when you dwell on negativity is yourself. You could allow yourself to get drawn into negative conversations or activities, but remember, this will not benefit anyone, and especially not you. It pays to remain as positive as you can (or as is appropriate) in all situations.

“It’s not that life has been easy, perfect, or exactly as expected. I just choose to be happy and grateful no matter how it all turns out” – Unknown

Sometimes we can get carried away by our thoughts and feelings. We can start off with one negative thought, and before we know it, we have attracted more negative thoughts which start flooding into our head until we are completely consumed with them. But it is never too late to stop and change your thought patterns to those of positive, uplifting, happy ones.

If you find yourself getting carried away, dont beat yourself up about it. This will just encourage more negative thoughts.

Instead, imagine that you are riding on something (eg. a horse, other animal, train or bus) which is travelling faster and faster with the more negative thoughts that pass through your mind, heading swiftly into the horizon which is dark and miserable and filled with doom and gloom. I see myself on the back of a camel (perhaps their humps are a symbol of how I have allowed myself to feel!) When I catch myself galloping off on this camel, I simply shout “Stop!”, pull on the reins and jump down from it. As your feet hit the floor, take a deep breath and reaffirm that you are in control. Then turn on your heels, smile and confidently head in the other direction, to a horizon full of golden light, promise, laughter and love. I use this fun visualisation when I catch myself being carried away with my thoughts. It can bring a little light to the situation and remind you that every moment really is another chance to turn it all around. You can stop your negative train of thoughts any time you like, and you can choose to be happy.

 “I caught the happiness virus last night when I was out singing beneath the stars” –  Hafiz of Persia

Every morning when you wake up, make the conscious choice to be happy. Know that no matter what situations you find yourself in and no matter what challenges you come up against, you will remain positive, you will smile, and you will be happy!

I will finish with a wonderful exert from the diary of the inspirational Anne Frank, who had the ability to find happiness in the darkest of times:

“…if I ever find myself in a bad mood, I immediately make a choice to be happy. In fact, it is the first choice I make every day. I say out loud to my mirror, ‘Today, I will choose to be happy!’ I smile into the mirror and laugh even if I am sad. I just say, “Ha,ha,ha,ha!” And soon, I am happy, exactly as I have chosen to be. I will greet each day with laughter. I will smile at every person I meet. I am the possessor of a grateful spirit. Today I will choose to be happy.”

Love and blessings,

Fairy GodMuma xxx

Choose to be Happy!