7 Steps to Happiness – Happiness Principle Number Four

7 Steps to Happiness – Here is the fourth happiness principle which is essential to your sense of happiness and self-fulfillment

A stronger sense of happiness and self fulfillment leads to a longer, healthier, and more rewarding life.  That probably makes intuitive sense to you, but the question most of us struggle with is “how”.  How do you actually make yourself feel happier?

I’ve come to believe that there are seven basic happiness principles anyone can follow which will immediately lead to more happiness and a greater feeling of self fulfillment in your life.  In this article, I’m going to focus on the fourth of these happiness principles.

Happiness Principle Number Four: Follow Your Bliss

You’ve no doubt heard this advice before. “Follow your passion,” they say. Well, in order to follow your passion, you need to know what it is. Surprisingly most people don’t really know what they’re passionate about.

So where should you start? Here are 3 simple steps you can begin to take today.

1. Write down your goals.  What is it you want, right now, that is most important to you?  This is such a powerful question.  Take your time and think about the question.  Then write down an answer.  Once you have your answer, flesh it out by writing a couple of paragraphs describing how you’d like your life to look based on what it is you said you want.  Don’t hold back or censor yourself.  Think of it as if you are writing a movie script or a story and just let the words flow.  Once you’re done, take a look again at what you’ve written.  Based on what you have in front of you, what next steps do you see that you can begin to take over the next 7 days?  What about the next 30 days?  What about the next 90 days? Write down your goals and revisit them daily.  By completing this exercise, you have likely begun to zero in on something about which you are truly passionate.  And you have likely identified some basic steps that will help you to move forward.  This becomes the beginning of your road map for following your bliss.
2. Affirm your progress every day.  Now that you’ve identified what it is you want that is most important to you and established some goals, the next step is to reinforce your progress towards your goals by using positive affirmations.  This is simple and easy to do.  Simply write out or speak a selection of phrases that you can repeat to yourself throughout the day.  You don’t need to make them complicated.  For example, “I am moving steadily towards my dreams”, or “I am a successful business owner”, or “I am a money magnet”. The point of affirmations is to create and maintain a positive feeling in your mind.  Through repetition, you are training your subconscious mind to accept what essentially becomes a new belief system.  Use the words “I am” and keep the statement short, positive, and supportive of the goals you’ve established.
3. Express your gratitude.  Look for things in your life right now about which you are grateful.  No matter what obstacles may be in front of you, there is always something if you look.  Focus on the gratitude you feel — even if it’s simply for the air you breathe.  Gratitude is such a wonderfully positive feeling and it instantly lightens the load for you.  By lightening the load, you create more room for your positive affirmations to work and it’s easier to remain focused on your goals. In this way, gratitude becomes a key ingredient to following your bliss.

Would you like more information about how to find more happiness in your life? Our 7 Steps to Happiness Program shows you how.  Learn more here:  7 Steps to Happiness