Want to find happiness? Begin with what you already have

Sometimes happiness can feel a long way off. Rather than searching for something out of your grasp you can begin with noticing what you already have and start on your path to happiness from right here, right now!

Look at who you are, today

I mean really see who you are. Sometimes we focus so much on what we aren’t that we forget to capitalise on who we are right now. Being the best of ourselves now will make us feel better. When we feel good life is more enjoyable and we are more likely create opportunities for ourselves. The number of times I have looked at a photo from a holiday 8 or 10 years ago and notice that I looked frankly younger and slimmer - the irony is at the time I felt really chubby! I was too busy trying to see what was wrong with me. Be kind to yourself, treat yourself with care and make the most of who you are. It is the best way to move forward.

Look at what you have

From the inside it can often feel that we don’t have the things we should have or aren’t where we want to be. Stand outside yourself for a moment and notice, from the outside, what you have in your life that is good. If you find it hard ask a friend to help - or write it down as if you were explaining what you have to a stranger from a far off land. Really take note of everything you have that is an asset - time, family, friends, a computer, a phone, maybe a job. Take nothing for granted, even if you aren’t appreciating them right now.

See the gaps

Given who you are and what you have, what are the things that are missing in your picture? Get to grips with what it is you are feeling at the root of it. Don’t assume what the cause is as this can sometimes make a problem seem harder to solve. For example someone who has been feeling lonely and assuming its because they don’t have a partner, may really benefit from doing something else to ease the loneliness, that isn’t centred around what they perceive as the cause. This isn’t to say that person can’t carry on doing things to find a partner, it is that if they do something to ease the loneliness, they are more likely to get out there and do things. In turn they will connect with others - which will actually heighten their chances of finding a partner. They will also be a better place to take advantage of the opportunity too.

Gain perspective

Seeing things from a different angle can transform the way we look at the problems and opportunities in our lives. It gets ourselves out of ourselves, There are so many different routes to happiness that opening our eyes to them can bring huge rewards. Good ways to gain perspective include booking a trip somewhere new, challenging yourself to do something you wouldn’t normally do, help others by either using your skills or volunteering or having a few sessions with a life coach to look at where you want to be going.

The chances are that we already have the things we need in life to start our journey to get us where we want to be. We just don’t always see them. Time to open your eyes and your mind - and start on your path to happiness.