Being Happy
[ 6 March 2008 ]
You can also listen to this as a podcast!
Gala Darling – Being Happy (MP3)
Click to listen, or save-as for fun in the future!
What is happiness? It’s hard to say, but it’s not what many people think it is. Happiness doesn’t magically come to you with a new pair of shoes, a lean body, a bulging bank account or 5 hours of sex every day. Nor does it materialise after you retire, get married, have a child or quit your job. It’s a little bit more complicated than that.
Happiness is not defined by external circumstances — it is an attitude, something that comes from within. There is no one answer, but here are some things that have improved my life immeasurably — & can do the same for you.
Be true to yourself
Commit to being yourself. Stop trying to impress or please other people — this is a quick route to misery & discontent. After all, when it comes to your life, who matters most? You. Don’t feel obligated to like the same things your boyfriend does, or to go into a career that your parents want for you. You are the one who has to live with the consequences of your choices, so make sure everything you do is in line with your loves, your desires, your ambitions.
Learn to love & accept yourself, regardless of your financial situation, perceived intellect, education level, body size or style. Learn to accept & forgive yourself, no matter what mistakes you may have made in the past. All of these things are trivial & don’t matter. If you were suddenly awarded a master’s degree or a size 0 frame, it wouldn’t change who you are or how you truly feel inside. Recognise all these things as unimportant; diversions from what really matters. Getting comfortable with who you REALLY are inside is what counts. Once you have that, anything on top of that is just gravy, baby.
Don’t label yourself: it only restricts & limits you. Learn how to improve yourself & commit to making yourself a better person. Be open to adventure, be wild, make glorious messes. Act with integrity. Be honest. Speak with intention — don’t dumb yourself down or gossip or make fun of other people. Let go of any guilt, stop worrying, release yourself from the expectations of others. Live the life you want to live.
“Be good to yourself, because nobody else has the power to make you happy!” — George Michael
Use affirmations
The idea of an affirmation is that it is something you say regularly which helps to combat any negative self-talk you have. The best way to plot out some affirmations for yourself is to take stock of your life, decide what isn’t working for you & then go about fixing it. So, let’s say your major problem (in your opinion) is that you don’t have any friends. The affirmation you come up with might be something like, “I am popular with a vibrant social life!”
Now, the problem with affirmations is that a lot of people have the wrong idea about them. They seem to think that just sitting down & repeating something over & over is going to change their life. Well, it’s not that simple. If you actually want to move towards your goal (having lots of friends), you need to go deeper & also take action.
As much as we like to think we are ruled by our intellect, we’re not. We are ruled by our emotions. So you can’t just say something & hope that it will change you — it might, but it will be a very slow process. There is no point in saying something (“I am a famous actress!”) when your emotions are saying the opposite (‘Oh my god I’m a failure how am I going to pay the bills this week this is so ridiculous HELP!’). Your emotions are always going to win that battle.
So if you want to make affirmations work for you, you need to feel what you’re saying. How would you feel if you were a famous actress? Elated, happy, confident, powerful? Okay then — concentrate on those emotions as you say your affirmations. Feel them build up inside you so that they are so strong & powerful that they make you feel like you’re going to explode. The more that you feel that feeling, the faster you will draw it to you.
When it comes to taking action, think about the differences between these 3 possible ways of behaving.
1. You feel lonely because you have no friends, so you sit around feeling bad about it.
2. You feel lonely because you have no friends, so you sit around telling yourself you have them — but still don’t really believe it.
3. You don’t feel as lonely because when you say your affirmations, you feel the love that is coming to you — & when you leave the house, you smile at the people you meet.
Of course, option 3 is the one that is going to net the fastest & most positive results!
Another thing to keep in mind is that you need to use affirmations that resonate with you. When I say ‘resonate’, I mean something that gets you excited, sends chills up your spine, makes you want to leap up & start kicking ass! We are all different so what works for you may not work for me. For example, saying “I am a dancing child of light” does nothing for me. However, “I am a fabulous, determined ass-kicker” might. Your affirmations don’t have to have soft edges or flowery words — feel free to swear or be as aggressive as you like. Just make sure it’s something that juices you up!
What’s better — optimism or pessimism?
Well, it’s not quite that simple. While optimism has been scientifically proven to be better for your health, when it comes to very high-risk activities (like flying a plane after having a couple of drinks), it can be useful to think pessimistically — to use it as a protective tool.
However, on the whole, optimism is the way to go. We are not all “born optimists” — a lot of it depends on how we were raised & what messages we were surrounded with as we were growing up. The good news is that even if your father wore a sandwich board that said “The end is nigh!”, you can learn optimism. All hope is not lost!
So, how do you know whether you’re an optimist or a pessimist? The general measure tends to be how you react to failure. Pessimists think that their failures are personal (their fault), pervasive (it’s always like this) & permanent (it’s never going to change). Optimists, on the other hand, tend to believe that maybe other circumstances contributed to the bad thing happening, that this one bad thing is just a fluke & that it will change soon. You can get more information on that by looking at this optimism chart.
Mirei said in a comment recently that it was possible to be an optimist without hugging puppies! I couldn’t agree more. Some of the most successful people I know aren’t even particularly nice! They’d rather kick your ass in a race than sit around chanting. But they are optimistic about their circumstances & their life — & it has helped them do as well as they have.
If you need further encouragement to make the switch to being optimistic, consider these facts. Pessimism in early life is a very consistent predictor of poor health in later life, & psychiatrists have found that training clinically depressed people to think optimistically relieves depression better than medication!
“If you are a pessimist… then you are about eight times as likely to get depressed, you are less likely to succeed at work, your personal relationships are more likely to break up, and you are likely to have a shorter and more illness-filled life.” — Dr. Martin Seligman
An article in The Archives of General Psychiatry (Nov 2004) states that major depression is a known risk factor in cardiovascular death – this isn’t new news. Optimists have a 55% lower risk of death from all causes (“all-cause death”) and a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular death than pessimists. Optimists are simply healthier people. (Link.)
To learn how to think more optimistically, check out optimism & happiness, how to become more of an optimist & become an optimist & nurture it!
Set goals & get motivated
When we set goals & come up with things we want to achieve, it helps to give us direction. Otherwise it can be all too easy to drift aimlessly. Our life turns into a dull routine where all we do is go to work, eat dinner & fall asleep. Without goals or ambitions, we run the risk of waking up at age 60 & wondering where our life went — or spending years doing something that makes us miserable, simply because we don’t know how to escape.
Think about your favourite people throughout history: actors, writers, musicians, artists & scientists. If they didn’t have goals or motivation, you would probably have never heard of them. Maybe they would have died without having contributed anything to remember them by. If you want to be exceptional or achieve something significant, the very first step is to work out what you want.
Have a read of How To Set Amazing Goals & Motivation to get on the right path!
Exercise
We all know that exercise is good for us, but why? Well, it helps you live longer, assists in developing new brain cells, enhances your mental capabilities, lowers cholesterol & blood pressure, & helps you lose weight. But the most important thing in terms of happiness is that it stimulates endorphin in the brain & reduces the stress hormone cortisol. Some studies have found that regular exercise is more effective than antidepressants in terms of minimising depression! Even better, exercise is free & doesn’t require a prescription!
Sometimes exercise can seem like a drag, but it doesn’t have to be some dull regimented thing that you suffer through. Jump on your bed or boogie as you vacuum, walk faster when you’re out shopping or climb trees. Anything that raises your heart-rate makes you feel really really good, so do it as often as you can!
Eat well
I always thought that the concept of eating properly was a bit of a myth. I mean, I guess it had health benefits — like less heart disease — but I never really thought that it changed how you felt day-to-day. What I have discovered, though, since going raw, is that what you eat absolutely impacts on your emotions & mental state.
In short: Eat your greens! Drink lots of water! (Far more than you even thought possible!) Try to avoid crazy processed foods (aka, anything neon or in 5 layers of plastic) & eat as many fresh things as you can. The end results — beautiful skin, a fabulous mood, increased energy & a happy body — are so worth it.
Get in control of your life
“Between stimulus & response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth & our freedom.” — Viktor E. Frankl
While sometimes we can’t do anything about the way other people behave towards us, make no mistake — you are in complete control of how you respond. People are free to be as rude, insulting & callous as they like, but you don’t have to be! Take the higher ground! Getting angry & having a whinge about how people are “so awful” doesn’t do anything to empower you or make you feel better!
By that same token, don’t allow anyone to bully you into anything you don’t want. Resign from that job you loathe, leave the girlfriend who’s pressuring you to get her pregnant, tell your mother to stop interfering in your life. You are in control of what you do, who you love & how you live, & you don’t have to take any shit from anyone! Ever!
Get involved
You don’t necessarily have to be the most popular person in the world, but a little involvement in your community can go a long way towards making you feel better about yourself. It doesn’t have to be your local, physical community either — jump into your favourite Harry Potter group online, join a book club or volunteer to teach German lessons at the place down the road. You’ll meet cool people & you’ll also feel like you’re contributing something good to the world.
It’s really important for us to feel connections with other people. It can help us feel less alone & allow us to meet people with whom we have things in common. Being totally isolated for long periods can be really hard on the psyche — there’s a reason why solitary confinement is the harshest punishment (before death, anyway)! Even getting a part-time job that causes you to interact with lots of people on a regular basis can make you feel really good.
Anyway, don’t just keep to yourself! You’re too awesome to be a hermit!
Avoid negative people
We all know (or have known) someone who suffers from a major case of the negatives. They are a total drag to be around, always raining on your parade & turning the most inconsequential event into a huge downer. The good news is that you don’t have to have anything to do with them!
Read my article on Negative People for more information!
Imagine you’re plotting a graph. One line stipulates the level of desire you have for material possessions. Another indicates how much “stuff” you have already. Zen teachings say that in order to be happy, you can do one of two things: increase how much stuff you have, or decrease your desire. The typical Western way to deal with this is to feel like we need moremoremore, but of course, as we consume, our desires grow too. If you want to get out of the rat race, living simply is one of the best choices.
There are many different ways of living simply. No Impact Man is one example of how to downshift your life — he, his wife & daughter made a commitment to not buying anything (except for absolute essentials) for a year. He even goes so far as to compost his poop! Of course, composting your excrement is a personal choice, & not the sort of thing that appeals to everyone! Your idea of living simply might just be to take stock of what things you’d be okay not having, & then start to live in that direction.
Gratitude
Those of you who regularly participate in Things I Love Thursday already know the effect that expressing gratitude has on your life. It’s quite amazing — if you sit down & take some time to think about the things in your life for which you are truly happy, the positive after-effects last all day. While sometimes looking at a picture of a puppy will make you smile, when we find examples from our lives of things that are going well, it is a more solid anchor on which to base our happiness.
One of the coolest things about Things I Love Thursday is that often in the comments, people say “Ooh, I’ve been looking forward to this all week & making a list to post!”. That’s fantastic, because ideally gratitude should be something we focus on really regularly — every day, if possible. There are lots of ways to do this, such as starting a gratitude journal or making thankfulness a part of your daily routine. You could try listing off five things for which you’re grateful before getting out of, or into bed, or thinking about it while you brush your teeth. If you have a partner or friend who wants to try it out, make it a habit to randomly say, “Okay, tell me ten things you’re grateful right now!”
Another fabulous thing about gratitude is that it really helps bring us into the present moment. While some of the items on your list might have happened a while ago, they are still obviously having a positive influence on your life right now — which helps us focus on this very minute, this very second, this breath, this heart-beat. !
The results of the study indicated that daily gratitude exercises resulted in higher reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism and energy. Additionally, the gratitude group experienced less depression and stress, was more likely to help others, exercised more regularly and made more progress toward personal goals. According to the findings, people who feel grateful are also more likely to feel loved. McCollough and Emmons also noted that gratitude encouraged a positive cycle of reciprocal kindness among people since one act of gratitude encourages another. (Link.)
Traumatic memories fade into the background for people who regularly feel grateful, Watkins’s experiments show. Troublesome thoughts pop up less frequently and with less intensity, which suggests that gratitude may enhance emotional healing. Thankfulness helps the brain fully process events, Watkins speculates. Grateful people achieve closure by making sense of negative events so that they mesh with a generally positive outlook.
For more information, check out gratitude is good for you & make a gratitude adjustment!
“Live as if you were living a second time, and as though you had acted wrongly the first time.” — Viktor E. Frankl
P.S. If you’re not sure how happy you are, you can take a test! How happy are you?
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala
Tags: how to,
inspiration,
life,
productivity Share this! + Email This + Del.icio.us
+ Facebook
+ Stumbleupon
+ Technorati
Comment
Read more tagged how to...
The New New Romantics Skinny Ties Coming Out To Homophobes Musky Monsieur How To Make A T-Shirt More Interesting Neogoth A Passionless Marriage How To Have A Freak-Out-Free Birthday
Read more tagged life...
Things I Love Thursday Un Petit Raw Update The New New Romantics Wow Weekly Resolutions Coming Out To Homophobes Weekly Resolutions A Passionless Marriage
Read more tagged productivity...
Weekly Resolutions Weekly Resolutions Weekly Resolutions EFT Tips & Tricks How To Set Amazing Goals New Year's Resolution Ideas! Motivation More EFT Information
Read more tagged inspiration...
Things I Love Thursday Fun Accessories Things I Love Thursday Wow Neogoth Weekly Resolutions Valentine's Day Panic! How To Have A Freak-Out-Free Birthday
Oh Gala!
You always do this to me!! Whenever I need some Icing, the perfect flavour is right here for me!!
I’m getting stressy bout my jobs and uni work and all the stuff i’ve gotta do and and and AAHHHHH!!!
Thank you for bringing me down a notch and making me re-focus on the bigger picture. Things are mental now but I’d rather be crazy-busy than bored!!
P.s, speaking about 5 hours of sex, the other week after a social netball game with some mates, we overheard a girl from the opposition team say “OMG, that game was like 8 hours of sex!” We have no idea why she thought that!!!! Hilarious!!
Anyway, thanks again for making me smile even though my stomach’s in knots!!
xoxoxo
Thank you.
thank you so much! i needed this.
Oh, I needed this, Gala. This is going to help me transform my March break finale into a better ending.
Especially with a whole bunch of girls from my school who will be back any day from Southern Europe on a school trip.
...! Oh well, I say. I will live there one day.
Thanks for the sweetness Gala!
This post is epic – it perfectly sums up so much of what iCiNG is all about, what general message and atmosphere you’re bringing us all, and how we can make it ourselves – but you don’t need me to tell you! ;)
Anyway, I can tell this is one that going to be linked everywhere, to everyone, and to their friends, too. It’s thanks for continuing to do what you’ve been doing for so long, giving us hope and advice when we needed some, and teaching us how to give it back to ourselves.
Much love.
The How of Happiness is a great book that says essentially the same things that you did, but with less style. :P I am generally pretty happy – actually, most people say I’m the happiest person they know – and I love it! :)
gala, i need this so much. thank you. i’ve just been diagnosed with major depression.. the validation that something is really wrong is scary and intimidating… i really needed this advice… i’m going to follow it.
i hope you know the positive impact you are having on all of our lives!
Thank you, Gala; I came to the conclusion today (a bit out of the blue, really) that I really am an optimist.
This is something that I needed to read today. Again, thank you. I am grateful for YOU and iCiNG!
ooh galaa!
this is so sweet!
i didn’t read it yet, but i can feel that i will be loaded with some positiveness when i will!
& about the timing; i finished my script for school yesterday (YAY! i am proud of myself) and it’s about a girl & happiness!
i also love viktor e. frankl – so, thank you gala for this post.
big kiss.
lovely article, and carries so much truth, just have one thing to add in the same vein.
i received a fortune cookie once, it said:
“the person who knows he has enough is rich.”
I “scored” 87% on the happiness test! I’d say that’s pretty accurate. :D
These points are all so true.
I used to suffer from the most severe depression.
My whole life has turned around since then. & all because I took action of my life and did pretty much all of the things mentioned above.
Happiness for most people will take a lot of work & dedication. It can be a lifelong persuit. The hardest part is deciding to take on the challenge.
My advice is to do it (because you’re so worth it!).
xoxo
Amazing article!
So many good ideas in there. I’m definitely going to keep up with participating in TiLT, I didn’t know there would be so many benefits!
I’m going to investigate about the affirmations a bit more too. I liked your explanation of the different behaviours, I never though about it like that before. Now I know that it’s not just about saying things, I can see how they would work!
dearest gala,
there you go again, writing exactly what we need when we need it! I LOVE YOU!
this piece IS epic…and somebody said above! it’s huge, it’s enormous!
lately i’ve been thinking sooo much about this and while I’m not exactly a pessimist, i tend to bring my self down…i’m getting better though. I wear everyday a ribbon in my left hand that’s a promise to myself that i won’t bring myself down and i’ll think positive, if I fail, I change it to me right hand, and to put it in my left again i must be positive in a negative situation.. and so on. So it’s like a challenge to myself.
About the negative people…that’s quite tricky,because one of my best friends is really negative because “life has made her that way” or so she says. It’s not like I can just walk away from her, i love her, and sometimes it’s really frustrating…and i know i cant change her, even though i’ve tried soo hard to make her see how being positive would change her life she’s always stubborn on the being “safe” thing, thinking the worst so when the worst comes you won’t be hurt…but you’re hurt anyway!
I would like to help her see, but I’ve honestly given up!
What do you think? Any advice here?
ohh and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE MAKE THIS A PODCAST!]
infinite x’s & o’s…
This is my favourite post, it’s wonderful! Thanks Gala
this is wonderfully helpful.
thank you for writing about the complicated,
diverse, obscure, exciting & truly wonderful things.
i have learned a lot since i first started reading your blog a few months ago, and it is still so refreshing to come to your page everyday and be pleasantly surprised.
“there’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” – aldous huxley
i haven’t even READ this article yet (i’m on it right now) but I had to squee over the image – it reminds me of the first of Adrienne Rich’s ‘Twenty-One Love Poems’, ‘...the red begonia perilously flashing
from a tenement sill six stories high…’
not a red begonia, but i am still very excited.
hullo gala!
long time lurker,
first time poster.
and i must say
thank you.
thank you very very much.
here’s an amazing dr.seuss quote i think you’d love (or already know!)
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
wow, i so need this. thanks a bunch!
This is totally what I needed this week. My boyfriend and I just broke up and I’m trying to see the good and keep it positive. This was such an excellent reminder to keep myself stable. I especially love that quote and I will try to keep it in mind :)
thanks so much for this article, it’s great!
Beeing a psychology student, I was very taken with your mentions of well known psychologists end theories, which made this article quite sound standing.
Particularly I was pleased about your quotes of Frankl, because at least in germany (where I’m living) he’s rather one of the less known psychologists, but I really like him and his Logotherapie, containing some valuable approachs for almost everybody.
you are so damn lovely! Umm, what a a forum…?
You are so right about the affirmations, so many people don’t believe that it’s possibly to feel so much better just by telling yourself something, but it’s so true.
Thank-you for reminding me, I’m going to make some weekend affirmations right now!
Loulou xo
thank you gala…i needed it.. :.)
nice article :-)
wonderful article :)
A while ago I made a big long list of all the things I love and put it up beside my bed, it is great because if I am feeling down even just a quick glance and a reminder of one or two things is enough to help me pick myself up again. When I am feeling good it only enhances that and helps inspire me to be better and do the things I love.
Just seemed relevant
and I think iCiNG works a bit like that too, except for a whole lot more people. So very well done you!
:)
Beautiful beautiful article! Such a lovely piece of writing that so many will find helpful…
Have a super happy weekend!
I love your articles!
Every time I’m feeling low I know where to go…iCing!
I’m seventeen and have had a plethora of mental illnesses for almost half of my life including major depression. I’ve tried almost every medication out there and seen too many psychologists to count but nothing makes me more excited about life than reading your blog Gala! Your inspiration gives me the extra kick in the right direction on my road to recovery.
Thank you.
Much love xoxo
wow…. awesome. i’ve been lurking forever and i realized it was high time to show my gratitude for your willingness to share your amazing creative wonderful passionate lovely being with us… i always look forward to all of your entries. thanks.
I have a feeling you’ve been watching The Secret. That movie has also helped me realize these things too, and my life has changed for the better ever since. :)
It is so refreshing to read a professional in the beauty and fashion world blogging about the superficial aspects of materialism and getting back to the healthy basics. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
I’m with wing commander bell, how do you help the ones you love buy into this lifestyle. I’d love an article on that in the future if you have it in ya!
I do admit I have a bit of a biochemical imbalance that makes it hard for me to stay on the positive track all the time. Thats why I’ve started journalling so I can go back and read the good things, or at least write everything out and get perspective and reframe how i’m looking at a situation rather than giving into that wave of loneliness and darkness that seems to sweep over me for no legitimate reason.
My friends always say I am such a nice person, always so positive amd kind. I just wish that it was contageous. It makes me feel wonderful to hear it because I have been trying very hard for the past year and half to turn my life around (From loner/hermit/depressed/crying all the time… to a functioning socail person who has at least a few friends who live close enough that we can do coffee or lunch sometimes).
I might be an unhappy person according to the quizzy lol (so yes is it horrible that i would LOVE to have a relationship, and would love to have children, i ACCEPT that its not happening right now but that I know I want more than what I have right now , at some point in the future… i just know I want these things even though I don’t have them yet if it is Gods will I will have them… if not then I will learn to accept it). but I’m definately WORKING on it, and have been for a a long while, I found icing in one of my many googles on how to change myself. And I’ve been hooked ever since :)
xoxo – kay
i’m a new reader gala, and i already adore you! (not in a creepy stalker way.. you know what i mean by that! ha ha ha!)
i’ve been really stressed with school lately, and i’ve been procrastinating a lot lately with things i want to do, and need to do. also, i’ve been going through some creative block, i haven’t been able to find any inspiration at all! on top of all that, i’ve been holding back on some of my goals for this year! but after reading your article, i’ve regained all my ambitions! so instead of doing shopping every single day this march break, i will sign up for those modern dance lessons! and tennis lessons! and yoga classes! i will get new paints, and then i will create something fantastic! i will find vintage treasures and transform them into my own! i will continue exercising, and eating healthy! i will actually, do my homework!
thank you galaa! muahh. ;D
Ah how perfect! I’m having a bollocks of a day but I feel much better now.
I love the part about living simply and decreasing our desire. Money is always a stress but as long you have enough to give you food and shelter what more do you need?
Thanks Gala, for putting it in all perspective.
Hope you’re having a pleasant day my love!
xxx
Thanks, kittens :>
1) this is a great article. I am printing it off and am going to stick it on my bulletin board :)
2) I added your page to my ipod homescreen :D
xoxo
This is a great article that would be great to rehash and repost regularly because it has such impact and because you are spreading such wonderful ideas across the world. I wish you nothing but the greatest contentment.
Winston Churchill said:
“Optimists see opportunity in every problem and pessimists see problems in every opportunity.”
This is so wonderful! Thank you Gala! I always need some tips on how to get and stay happy. I’m gonna read it all as soon as I can.
Such a great article, honey. Well done! xoxo
This post is brilliant, it has helped me try to change things and view things in a more positive light. My boyfriend is an optimist and it can sometimes be frustrating to not see things the way he does. This is showing me and helping me to become more optimistic! It’s also showing me that it’s not an over night transition!
Sunshine and Sparkles!
xxxx
This is a wonderful article! Such long paragraphs of happy goodness. Everything you linked to in this was wonderful too, even old articles that I had managed to overlook.
great post Gala!(I read it as soon as you posted it but I couldn’t comment because I was in uni & we’re not even supposted to read blogs from there!grr..)—all of your points are so true, those are exactly the things that are helping me staying happy &healthy even in the face of a myriad of things to be done & a bad break up..plus, if I can add my 2 cents sleep!i don’t know if it’s just me, but i can really feel the difference in my mood and overall in the way i see my life depending on whether i had a good night sleep or not!in general, treating your body well is truly important, especially because when you’re in pain & depression that’s the first thing you start forgetting!thanks Gala!
Gala –
I read this article and shared it with my friend who does V-logging on Youtube.
#1 – Thank you so much for this article, it has helped me so much in dealing with the stress of applying for teaching jobs.
#2 – My friend loved it so much she featured it in her weekly YouTube video, I hope you get a chance to check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tul5Iu…
xoxo.
Alyssa — I saw that a moment ago! (I got a referring link & had a look to see what it was.) I loved the video, so funny! I don’t know who your friend is impersonating but it’s hilarious nonetheless :D Thanks so much, to you & her! xxx
Gala,
Thank you soooo much for this article, it is perfect! I have to write a speech for school and i was so frustrated with myself because i couldn’t find a topic. So i read this, and i finally picked a topic. My speech is going to be on happiness!Write Back!
you are good.
I know this is really late, but I happened to re-read this article and wanted to say, lately I’ve been feeling kind of down in the dumps—and reading this, I realized that it was because I’ve been so busy trying to please everyone else that I was making myself miserable. It’s so weird how something so obvious can be missed. Thank god your site’s around to remind me! Hee. <3