FREEdom Happiness

Ever noticed how easy it is to focus on the difficulties and troubles in our lives especially during the financial crisis?  I can dwell on the little money in my savings account and how much debt I have.  How the gas prices are rising and how much groceries cost.  I can argue with myself not to call a friend or loved one because my phone bill will be too high.  Even if I try to feel hopeful, its difficult to feel happy with this kind of focus.

Marci Schimoff speaks about the 'I'll be happy when syndrome' where we wait to be happy until we have the things in life we believe will make us happy.  In reality, we are terrible at predicting our future happiness and when we attain these things, it never delivers the happiness we thought it would, and the joy it does bring us is short lived.

The 'myth of more' is just that - a myth! We have been conditioned to believe that happiness lies somewhere in the future. That our happiness will come when we have more.  More money, a better job,  a bigger house, more free time.  We end up spending our lives waiting for happiness - and working really hard towards attaining the things we think will make us happy.

What if we changed our focus from the roller coaster of life to the little things that matter.  Like the coins that add up in our pockets, in the washing machine, and in coin jars that turn into enough money to treat the family for a nice dinner.  Its the little things that add up to lots of joy and happiness.  The truth is life is full of ups and downs, crises and celebrations, and its our responsibility to chose what it is we focus on.  We can chose to focus on what we have, rather than on what we don't have.

Even during financial strain, there are lots of ways to bring joy, happiness, laughter, hope and freedom into our lives that cost absolutely nothing.  They are FREE!  You've heard them say "the best things in life are free"?  Positive Psychology research has proven that the things that make us truly happy are not things at all.  What makes us happy are relationships, being a part of a community, the experiences we share with loved ones and the moments that remain in our memory for our lifetime.  This is the stuff that adds up to be priceless.

When I first moved to Australia in 2008, I had no job, no friends near by and very little money, and I struggled to find the things that brought joy into my life.  Up to that point, I had lived a structured life with such a strict schedule that I never had the time to think about what I enjoyed doing.  I just did what I had to do.  Australia was a time that forced me to think about what truly makes me happy.  The freedom I had created for myself allowed me to enjoy a latte at the beach with a good book while listening to the ocean waves.  To go for a swim in the outdoor pool and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin.  To listen to a podcast on my ipod and walk or run along the beach and then dive into the salty ocean and let the negative ions carry away my stress.  To listen to my favourite songs and dance in my living room.  A skype chat with a friend from home or a laugh shared with someone special.  The little things that cost little money, or were absolutely free, helped me to discover Freedom Happiness and the power of focusing on the little things in life.

Of course there are times now that I revert back to focusing on the negative, but awareness is the first step.  So I practice catching myself when I feel the toxic chemicals flowing through my veins, mixed from the negative thoughts in my head about all that is going wrong, and I switch my focus to all that is going right.  Then I practice a FREEdom Happiness activity that I know brings me joy.  One of the keys to happiness is focus...choosing to focus on the positive and what we do have rather than what we don't.

When we count our blessings and focus on what we are grateful for, its the little things that make us feel like a million bucks.  Try making a list of the things that have made you happy in the past.  What are the things you can do more of on a regular basis?  I invite you to practice your FREEdom Happiness activities when you need them most, and make it a regular habit.

To your Happitude,
Zenjen