Have you ever said any of the following statements?
- I’ll be happy when I graduate from college.
- I’ll be happy when I get a good job.
- I’ll be happy when I get married.
- I’ll be happy when I have children.
- I’ll be happy when I can buy a new car or a bigger house.
- I’ll be happy when I go on my dream vacation.
- I’ll be happy when I get a better job.
- I’ll be happy when I lose 5, 10, 20, 50 pounds.
- I’ll be happy when my spouse pays more attention to me.
- I’ll be happy when I make more money.
- I’ll be happy when my kids move out.
- I’ll be happy when I retire.
I used to believe that when something good happened to me, I would be happy. Then when it did happen, happiness was short-lived.
Looking to the future and believing that something or someone will make you happy, is a false belief. Everyone is searching for happiness but many of us never find it. We run around like a gerbil on a wheel and keep hoping to fill the emptiness inside. The problem is, nothing external will satisfy our needs for very long.
If we want to be happy, we have to change the way we think. Instead of believing that happiness comes from outside, we have to realize that happiness comes from inside. When we are satisfied with our lives and thankful for what we have, happiness will find us. We can create our own happiness by having a positive attitude, we don’t have to go looking for it. We can choose to be happy or we can choose to be unhappy. Which will you choose?
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