Happiness can seem like an endless journey fraught with many, often contradicting theories. There’s what you should and shouldn’t do; training states of mind; economic considerations; health; family; meaning; philosophy; spirituality – the list goes on. But what actually works? “As a newborn, they found me on a frigid winter’s day inside a brown paper bag left on a toilet seat in a bar-and-grill washroom in upstate New York,” says A. K. Driggs. “It would prove to be an inauspicious start for a happy life.” Can someone with such a disadvantaged beginning life find happiness? Fortunately, Driggs was adopted by a loving couple, but other challenges would come her way. She offers advice for those who seek fulfillment in life.
Self-acceptance is the gateway. We tend to worry about what’s wrong, which makes a certain amount of sense because what’s right doesn’t require attention. Of course, the problem with this paradigm is that we create an inner environment dominated by anxiety. And, ironically, we worry about all the things we tell ourselves that we first have to do to be happy. As a result, we often have that busybody voice perpetually telling us something is wrong.
Your spirituality is available to you every day. Many people wonder what spirituality means in practical terms. Aside from metaphysical aspects, some define spirituality as self-transcendence, which proves to be extremely valuable in our pursuit of happiness. Again, consider the subliminal voice that’s always telling us things like your hair doesn’t look good enough or you said the wrong thing at the meeting and so forth. Are these concerns anything more than ego traps?
Don’t let go of what makes you happy! No matter how you’ve come across happiness – whether seemingly by accident or after a long, earnest effort – appreciate it by doing it. While that may seem like simple common sense, people lose sight of what makes them happy all the time. “I found happiness in my spouse; the family that I’ve chosen, my friends; and singing as a recording artist,” she says. Whether it be dancing for fun, sewing, gardening or simply singing to all living creatures, don’t give up what makes you happy.”
