Happiness is moving! Maybe not to everyone but to me this week it is. After living in temporary accommodation for 3 months we have a place of our own – somewhere we can call home. We are soooo excited as it is our little dream house – a cute detached white finca in the countryside of Ibiza, it even has a sea view nestled in between the almond trees. Hence this week’s blog – Happiness is… moving.
Our new home...
You see hubby and I have been following our dreams for 2 years now. This time 2 years ago, with our youngest daughter having left home, we decided to sell our big house, give up our exec jobs and follow our dreams – living a life of travel, adventure and happiness. How amazing we thought to actually be able to live in happiness everyday. To have the freedom to work when we want to, work on what we want to work on, where ever we want to work – hows that for happiness? Our dream was to find a balance of work and leisure whilst living in beautiful inspiring surroundings ( as I type this a little bird has come to sit on the window grill, chirping and tweeting, as if on cue ).
So 2 years on how well have we done? Have we achieved our goal of travel, adventure and Happiness? -
We travelled Spain and Latin America for one year, which was a fantastic experience. We have certainly packed our fair share of adventure into our lives – life has now become one big adventure. As for Happiness, we are living in hubby’s birth place of Ibiza – he feels so lucky and happy to be back home. I am writing this blog from the front terrace of our wonderful little home in the most amazing and peaceful scenery of almond trees, pretty bright yellow wild flowers and lush greenery all flanked with rolling hills. I feel blessed to be ‘working’ on such an enjoyable subject – Happiness, so much so that it doesn’t feel like work, it’s more a driving passion of mine. I have an innate sense of calmness, tranquility and bubbling Happiness that rests within as my natural state. I am whole heartedly enjoying life and all it has to offer me – so yes, I can categorically report that I am happy and as for hubby the constant grin on his joyful face says it all!
The Buddha said “There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.”
So which way to happiness? As Buddha said Happiness is the way to Happiness. But how do we get there? And where is there?
Happiness is subjective, it means different things for different people; a babies smile, the smell of a pine forest, the laugh of a friend. For me happiness is connection, time to spend with loved ones, freedom, nature and following my dreams. Happiness comes from within.
What is happiness to you? That’s the question I’ll be asking various people here on Ibiza. I have a few celebs lined up for the subject of ‘ What is happiness to you?’ Each week I will up load a short video of a star answering in their own words what happiness means to them. I’ll let you know when the first one is ready, soon.
In the mean time maybe you too can ponder the question What is happiness to you? And if you want to send me your answers – short video or email that would be fantastic. You never know you may appear along side the stars of Ibiza on my video compilation. belinda@ChasingHappiness.net
Find the way to happiness here by joining the FREE Chasing Happiness Find Yourself Programme
Living in this world of convenience, immediacy and have it allness it’s easy to slip into thinking ‘I want to be Happy and I want it now’. So what actually is Happiness? What makes us Happy? The latest designer bag, phone or gadget? 
Acquiring these things may give you a buzz, an immediate high and charge of energy but it won’t last. It may fool you into thinking it’s Happiness but it isn’t. It’s a shallow superficial trigger of your adrenalin surging aimlessly around your body providing a fix temporarily – soon to be replaced by a hollow emptiness, a low of flatness.
True lasting Happiness can only be found from within not from without – not fancy trinkets nor material possessions. The secret is to dig deep within yourself and find the real you. The one that’s always been there from birth, waiting patiently and quietly for you to rouse it. To awaken it from deep slumber and re-connect. To feel at one with the universe, Happy to be alive and sure in your life’s purpose – to be the best you you possibly can be.
You can begin by joining the FREE Chasing Happiness Find Yourself Programme
I have to admit I am bursting at the seams with excitement. The reason? I am to be featured in this weeks Sunday Times, in the Style Magazine section, an article on what it feels like to move to Ibiza and find happiness.
My whole inside is glowing with a lovely warm feeling – after pausing to assess this feeling with questions such as ‘ Is it my ego, power housing to the surface? ‘ ‘ Where is this feeling stemming from? ‘ ‘ What emotions are bubbling ? ‘ and a little deliberation with myself I conclude that I am feeling the emotion of proudness. Yep, I am very proud to say that I am being featured in The Sunday Times and do you know what? It feels good! In fact it feels darn good and I’m enjoying the feeling.
So what’s all this about? What’s my point? Is this just an excuse to brag about being in a prestigious Sunday newspaper? No, I’m using this as an example. My point is that it’s important to allow your feelings to flow. Allow positive or negative feelings to raise from deep within, feel, acknowledge and then let them flow out. Keeping feelings locked inside and cooped up will only breed dis-ease and unhappiness.
Next time an emotional situation arises remember to allow your feelings. If they’re negative allow, feel, acknowledge, let them flow and move on . If positive allow, feel and acknowledge as long as you like and then let them flow. Feel the Happiness within.
You can begin by joining the FREE Chasing Happiness Find Yourself Programme
OK this stuff isn’t rocket science but someone still needs to come up with it in the first place!
Happiness is a connection of the inner and outer. That is the inner self; the invisible one people are born with but brought up to ignore and taught how to totally disconnect with. And the outer self; the image people see, touch and portray to others.
In order to achieve true lasting Happiness connection must exist between inner and outer. Easy? Well not to most people as the majority on this planet do not know who their inner self is or that it exists, they will never experience their inner self and thus continue to live in a pure world of outer, where things happen to them and where collecting status and stuff is of the most importance. That’s OK, this is normal for the culture we live in, it’s how the world currently works. But if you desire real Happiness to be whole and warm from the inside, to feel alive, loved, valued, fulfilled and able to see the beauty in everything then you need connection.
Connection is the key; the key to Happiness, the key to Love. Without connection we are empty vessels. So how do we connect? Find your inner self! Start by loving yourself. Connect with yourself first, then others and nature, it will all follow in line if you truly want it and allow.
You can begin by joining the FREE Chasing Happiness Find Yourself Programme
Happy New Year! All the best for a fabulously Happy New Decade and 2010!
To celebrate this Happy time of year I have created an amazing new self discovery programme and as a special new year’s treat from me you can have it for FREE! Yes, gratis! My gift to you.
If you want to find true happiness and to discover who you truly are in an easy peasy 15 mins per day, without peeling back layers or delving into the past. Then simply join the Chasing Happiness Find Yourself FREE online programme. Fill in your name and email and that’s it you will receive an email straight away.
Happy Christmas! Easier said than done! If you’re not busy rushing around the shops trying to find and buy those ’special’ gifts then you’re probably standing in the longest supermarket queue ever with a gigantic mound of food in your trolley thinking ‘I haven’t got time for this’!
Christmas conjures up images of peaceful and joyous present unwrapping under the tree, a cosy family day with loved ones. In reality this festive time of year is soooo stressful – choosing presents, spending money that maybe we haven’t got, buying stacks of food – just in case and decorating our homes in order to have a perfect Happy Christmas. When in true tradition come Christmas day we find ourselves getting annoyed with the kids for breaking their new toys, squabbling and whizzing round the house high and full on sweets and chocolate! Whilst we slave away in the kitchen, juggling various pots and pans making that all important Christmas dinner and getting more and more stressed as we aim to coordinate cooking times but inevitably burn the potatoes, serve cold carrots and forget the gravy!
Maybe with these thoughts in mind, now would be a good time to take a few moments to think what is this madness all about? What do you really want for Christmas – peace, gratitude, happiness? Sit quietly for a few minutes and ask your inner self ‘ what gift can I give myself, what do I truly need ‘? Go on find yourself a quiet place – lock yourself in the loo if you have to!
Once you know what you truly need then you can go about arranging it for yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help whilst you give yourself your Christmas gift – it maybe a few minutes alone without kids, dogs or relations or maybe help in the kitchen or to set the table. And remember perfect is subjective so their’s no point breaking your back and getting upset over something when good enough will do, after all it is your Christmas too! Enjoy!
A very Merry Christmas to you all. x
Happiness is in your hands
The following is a list of rules that I live my own Happy life by! This list is not exhaustive and by all means expand at will. I would love to receive any rules that you readers would like to add and share…
Help others - whenever you give to others this make’s you feel happy too. A double wammy, happiness for the person you are helping and bonus happiness for you!
Forgive – it soothes the soul, no point on filling yourself with hatred, anger and bitterness it only breeds dis-ease. Forgive and rise above, life is too short, it will make you happier!
Let go – worrying is for unhappy people. Such a lot of wasted time and effort goes into worrying about things that may never happen, release and enjoy!
Sleep – nourishes your mind and body, we need sleep to function, rest, recuperate and refresh ourselves. Tiredness manifests in grumpiness, getting lots of sleep manifests into happy minds and bodies!
Expect less – what is perfect anyway? Good enough is good enough, what do you gain from striving for 100% – stress, frustration, anger, other negative emotions that create dis-ease? Perfection is you just the way you are!
Learn gratitude – appreciate everything. Most of us take the vast majority of life for granted. Stopping to appreciate the air we breathe, the food we eat, the life we have makes us happy to be alive!
Love yourself - go on try it! You are unique, there is only one of you in the whole entire universe. Learn to love everything about yourself, warts and all - thats what makes you unique and happy!
Hope you enjoyed, please comment and let me know.
Full Moon Today
Exciting times indeed! It is a full and happy moon today so remember to take a peak and welcome the voluptuous sight. We are also at the inception of a mass rising of consciousness, a time for celebrating, being happy, joining together and sharing. Sharing an unprecedented journey into the combined consciousness of every living thing… let the magic begin.
OK so what do I mean by ‘being mindful’ ? What I mean is being aware, fully aware of your actions, in what you are doing whether that be eating a bar of chocolate, reading or washing up. I know that people lead such busy lives rushing around like mad devil’s, but believe it or not multi tasking isn’t good for your mind, concentrating and giving attention to one thing at a time is!
rushing around like mad devil's
How many times have you eaten something only to think ‘where did that go, did I finish it already’? Or you’ve been reading and can’t remember a word of it? I bet when you wash up you’re usually thinking about what to get for the kids dinner or when you can fit in a visit to…
Yep we all do it but how often do you? And what’s wrong with it anyway?
Nothing’s wrong, but if you want to be happier then being mindful is the way to go!
Try finding out how mindful you are. Kirk Warren Brown and Richard M. Ryan wrote a paper on the subject and devised a little questionnaire “Mindful Attention Awareness Scale,” appears in The Benefits of Being Present: Mindfulness and its Role in Psychological Well-Being
The more you answer “ no” the more mindfully you live.
How do you score?
1. I could be experiencing some emotion and not be conscious of it until some time later.
2. I break or spill things because of carelessness, not paying attention, or thinking of something else.
3. I find it difficult to stay focused on what’s happening in the present.
4. I tend to walk quickly to get where I’m going without paying attention to what I experience along the way.
5. I tend not to notice feelings of physical tension or discomfort until they really grab my attention.
6. I forget a person’s name almost as soon as I’ve been told it for the first time.
7. It seems I am “running on automatic” without much awareness of what I’m doing.
8. I rush through activities without being really attentive to them.
9. I get so focused on the goal I want to achieve that I lose touch with what I am doing right now to get there.
10. I do jobs or tasks automatically, without being aware of what I’m doing.
11. I find myself listening to someone with one ear, doing something else at the same time.
12. I drive places on “automatic pilot” and then wonder why I went there.
13. I find myself preoccupied with the future or the past.
14. I find myself doing things without paying attention.
15. I snack without being aware that I’m eating.
How did you do? Being mindful produces positive emotional states which make you happy, fact!
Are you good at living in the moment rather than dashing around it?
Find Yourself, Live Yourself, Be Yourself
