Your BeHappy!
|
|
Many people don’t know their own personal Definition of Happiness (in other words, they don't really know what would make them happy or even what the true meaning of happiness is for them). They just go through life striving to be happy, without really knowing what it will take. It’s no wonder many people never get there.The first step in the journey to the happiest possible life, therefore, is to know the destination. That destination is described by your own personal Definition of Happiness. And it is different for everyone.
Once you define what happiness means for you personally, you will be in a much better position to identify the steps required to get there by creating your Happiness Plan — which is your “map” for the journey.
Your Definition of Happiness is not a personal mission statement or declaration of your purpose in life. It is much more basic and self-focused. It simply means answering the question: what would make you a happy person if your life included everything in your Definition of Happiness? As Linda Ellis put it so well in her hugely popular poem called The Dash, it's really all about how you want to live your life (you can get get your own copy of The Dash by clicking on the link in the box to the right or you can just "experience" the poem by clicking here).
And there is no right or wrong definition. The main requirement is that it states your true feelings and includes everything required for you to be as happy as possible.
I have found that it is best to not have too many or too few criteria required for your happiness. For example, if you have only one criterion and it doesn’t work out as planned, it will be unlikely that you’ll be able to be as happy as possible. So, if your Definition of Happiness were simply to become wealthy, you would likely never BeHappy! if that didn’t happen for some reason. This could be part of your definition, but it should not be your entire definition.
Similarly, if there are too many criteria for you to meet in your definition, it is difficult to get them all aligned and you will likely not achieve maximum happiness.
Here are the basic guidelines for designing your Definition of Happiness:
- At least 3 and at most 5 criteria should be included in your definition
- Achieving each of these criteria should be at least partially within your control
- At least 2 of the criteria should be relatively easy to achieve
- Each criterion should motivate you and give you a positive feeling
As you contemplate your own requirements for happiness, consider questions like:
- Is money, wealth, or the things money can buy or do important?
- Is having a purpose or contributing something to the world a factor?
- Is happiness related to your children in some way?
- What role, if any, does personal growth play in your ability to BeHappy!?
- What role, if any, does your career play in your ability to BeHappy!?
- Are relationships in general – or specific relationships - critical to your happiness?
- What about fun, variety, adventure, or travel?
- What are your talents and are you using them?
The most important thing about creating your definition is that it must be your definition. It must fit you and be meaningful to you. You should even feel some emotion when you read it, because once you have achieved a life totally consistent with your definition, nothing can make you unhappy, regardless of the difficulties and challenges you experience in your life.
So again, crafting this Definition of Happiness is a very important first step.
Key Point #1: To be as happy as possible in life, your Definition of Happiness must be fulfilled as completely as possible.
Key Point #2: If you are truly happy according to your specific personal Definition of Happiness, nothing can make you unhappy — even intensely negative situations or circumstances.
To really get the most out of this process and create the best possible Definition of Happiness for you, do the exercises in Chapter One of BeHappy! 
This provides much more explanation and background for designing your definition.
If you don’t have your copy of BeHappy! yet, click on
“Order BeHappy! Now” below.
BeHappy! my friends.
Click here to return to the BeHappy101.com homepage
