I think there are some misperceptions about Happiness.  Sadly, Happiness has even become the butt of jokes and ridicule at times because of these misperceptions.  Happiness does not mean going around with a silly grin on your face no matter WHAT is going on in your life.  For some, it might not be a silly grin at all.   The way Happiness looks and is expressed is different from one person to another.  Happy people cry, get angry and frustrated just like unhappy people.  The difference is that these natural emotions are expressed much less than the unhappy person.  Happy people express their feelings but choose not to get stuck in it.  Conversely, unhappy people do feel, happiness, joy and elation at times.  Unfortunately for them, these are the exceptions and not their typical state of mind. 

Most Happy people are under no illusions that the world can be a difficult at times.  By contrast, unhappy people often dwell on the harsher side of life, frequently saying that THEY are living in reality, while the Happy person is not.  But does watching the news mean that they are “living in reality”?  Yes, there are many harsh things happening in the worlds, but there are also many glorious things happening in the world.  By just focusing on the negative, aren’t they dismissing the other half of the equation?  Happy people acknowledge that there is good AND bad.  They just choose to give the good their attention.

Happy people have also been the target of contempt by people who are less happy or unhappy because, most of the time, they are jealous.  They have tried to be happy but have ended up deflated and disheartened because they (like so many) do not know how to acquire the elusive commodity.  There is a reason for this mysteriousness: there is no perfect formula for happiness because each person is different!  One person might be happy by practicing spirituality, while the next person might want nothing to do with spirituality but gets their happiness through sports.  This is one of the reasons I am so excited about Happiness 201 coming up on September 12th.  For a mere $50 I’m offering this four hour workshop and when you walk out, you will have a PERSONALIZED  plan for happiness designed for the LONG-TERM.  If you are interested in being happier, E-mail me at frank@saltlakementalhealth.com