Owning Your Happiness
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Happiness Is Personal
Do you find yourself waiting for someone to make you happy? You are not alone! Today feels like a great day to stop waiting. Happiness is something we create for ourselves. The best part is that we don’t need anyone or anything to make it happen. Really! This post will look at some practical steps to own your happiness.
Define Happiness On Your Own Terms
The first step to owning your happiness is defining what happiness means to you. We all have different expectations, values, and desires that shape our definition of happiness. It’s important to clarify your own idea of what happiness means to you and not let others define it for you. When you own your happiness, you’re not living up to anyone’s expectations but your own.
Practice Gratitude
Gratitude is a powerful tool for creating happiness. Focusing on what you have instead of what you lack will make you feel more fulfilled and content. Start by making a daily gratitude list to help shift your perspective and remind you of the positive aspects of your life. You can also practice gratitude by expressing appreciation to others, volunteering, or simply taking a moment to savor the good things in life.
Cultivate Positive Relationships
We’re social creatures, and relationships impact our happiness significantly. Surround yourself with people who genuinely care for your well-being and uplift and motivate you. Seek positive, supportive people who bring joy into your life. Let go of relationships that drain your energy, are negative, or bring you down.
Prioritize Self-care
Taking care of yourself is fundamental to owning your happiness. When you prioritize self-care, you’re expressing self-love. Make it a priority to nurture your mind, body, and spirit. You can do this by taking breaks when needed, practicing self-compassion and self-acceptance, exercising, practicing mindfulness activities, eating healthy meals, and getting enough sleep.
Embrace Positivity
Positivity is a state of mind, and it can be practiced. Focus your energy on the positive things in your life. Surround yourself with positivity, whether it’s through motivational books, inspiring quotes, podcasts, or uplifting music. Practice positivity daily, and you’ll find that it becomes a habit. Treat problems that come up as opportunities to learn and grow.
Who Owns Your Happiness Keys?
The idea that happiness in our lives comes from something or someone other than ourselves leads us to search for people and things to “make us happy” – our children, parents, friends, romantic partners, co-workers, food, a job.
But, people and things can only enhance our happiness, they can’t create the consistent, long-term joy and contentment most of us crave. Happiness starts from within us and radiates outward. It shows up in how we care for and love ourselves, and how we choose to show up in the world every day (i.e. our attitudes and outlook on life).
You are the only person in a world of billions that holds the golden key to the happiness in your life; because you are the only person who can define what true happiness means to you.
Bottom Line
Owning your happiness is a process that requires intention, effort, and patience. But, you are worth it. Remember that happiness is not a destination, but a journey. So enjoy the ride, embrace your obstacles, learn from your experiences, and keep moving forward.
This Month’s Quote
This month’s quote is a challenge is a reminder of your power to define and discover your own source of joy from the inside out. Realizing this power begins with taking back your happiness keys from all of the people and things in your life who own them. Let’s journal about it…
This Month’s Journal Prompt
Self-Reflect and Grow
It’s time to self-reflect! Grab your favorite Disrupted Unicorn Journal Notebook and pen, get comfy, take a few deep breaths, and reflect on this month’s journal prompt:
For the next 5 – 15 minutes, write down your thoughts to these questions:
- Re-read this month’s quote.
- Think of a person who owns one of your happiness keys.
- Who is the person and what is your relationship to them (e.g. child, romantic partner, mother, father, …)?
- Why does the person own your happiness key? What do they do or provide to you that makes them worthy of a key?
- Picture you and the person standing, facing each other. See yourself taking back your happiness key. How might your relationship change when they no longer own a key and you control your own happiness, and why?
Level up (optional):
- Fill one page with a list of things that genuinely make you happy inside.
Journal writing is a personal and often deeply emotional activity. If you feel uncomfortable or distressed about a particular prompt we post, please feel free to skip it and journal about whatever is on your mind or heart.
