Learning Happiness Skills begins now, right where you are in this moment.

That’s the thing about life, wherever you are right now is the right place to begin.  “To begin what,” you say?  To begin what seems important to you in this moment.  For today, that is change.  

Often we go through our days wanting something to change.  Possibly something different in a job, a loved one, where we live, how we feel about ourselves.  This may be a vague awareness, or it might be a set of thoughts that are constantly distracting you.  Whatever it is, I invite you to consider taking 10 minutes right now, to sit quietly and get really clear on what this is for you.  Perhaps you put it in writing in your computer, or in a journal.  Or you could just sit and think it through, even say it out loud if you are alone.  The important thing is to allow yourself the time to process the thoughts clearly and honestly.

Now that you are quiet and ready, ask yourself this, “what is it that I want to change in my life?”  Breathe slowly, in and out three times.  Now answer that question in the format you’ve chosen.  What you are considering here are the things you can control. Tip to remember: the only person you can control is you, which includes your responses to all of the circumstances in your life. 

Let’s take an example; you would like your spouse to be different is some way.  Perhaps something your spouse does irritates you on a regular basis.  This could be anyone in your life, so just substitute the person in your situation.  Ask yourself this, “can I possibly get that person to change their behavior?”  Even if a person appears to change, they may have just gone “underground” and created the appearance of changing, which in turn could create a new problem as their own repressed emotions come out in some other way.  So back to the question, can you actually get another person to change, or does it work better to change your own response to the situation.

Perhaps you are  thinking that you would like to move or get a new job.  Change like that takes time and planning to accomplish.  In the mean time, how you can be in the situation with more ease.  Consider how you can react differently to the factors that are driving the desire to make changes.  Change isn’t always easy, but the choice to make change is yours.  It gets easier with practice.  The bonus is that it feels really good to take control over your life by creating the change you want.  It’s a Happiness Skill.

Happiness Is A Skill and there is much to learn as you create your own Happiness Skill Set.  Keep reading here, as we introduce and practice the many lessons that lead to a full set!

SKILL REVIEW

1-  Wherever you are right now is the right place to begin.

2- Breathe slowly, in and out three times.

3- The only person you can control is you, which includes your responses to all of the circumstances in your life.