Happiness is the art of being able to enjoy the moment for what it is. In many ways it may be called a reflection of being satisfied with where you are at the moment.
I'm the type of person who has a constant dialogue going on in my mind and sometimes I find that I say things aloud without realizing it. A few years ago I began to hear myself say, "I'm happy where I am".
I didn't really hear myself at first. But then it happened again and again. It was either that or "I'm really happy here". I knew that these thoughts were not related to the place I was in terms of Zip code or relationship status (although I am very happy in these way too); rather, I had reached a place of mental satisfaction and happiness. These same phrases still pop out of my mouth involuntarily on a pretty regular basis, I'm pleased to say.
Happiness does not come from outward trappings or material stuff. Happiness does come from within. I was listening to a seminar the other day by Neale Donald Walsch and he made the point that for years he seemed to always be striving for something, searching for something, looking for something; it was only when he stopped striving that everything in his life began to fall into place and he could feel content.
I suspect that the majority of people spend their lives thinking "I will be happy when xyz happens". I also suspect that they wish at the same time that they could feel happy in the moment. Ironically, it is only by being present in the moment that you can feel happy. If you are still reaching mentally into the future you cannot be fully present in the here and now.
What seems like a chicken and egg situation is not as convoluted as it appears. It's a bit like learning to swim. Do you learn to swim before you learn to trust that you won (TM)t sink? Or do you have faith in your ability to float to enable learning to swim?
To have trust or faith is something that we all require so as to be happy in the moment. When you have trust and faith you can be happy now whilst still working towards things in the future. Without trust or faith you are left with a sense of fearful or anxious striving towards something that you feel your happiness in dependent upon.
When I say that happiness is a reflection of being satisfied I do not mean this in the sense that you have reached your goals and have no more to work towards. I mean that you are happy where you are in the moment that is now, enjoying what you are doing, loving where you are, whilst also trusting in the future.
Happiness is not a pinnacle to be reached. Rather, it is a state of mind that helps you define and refine your goals, expanding your mind and the opportunities you might contemplate in a very positive and powerful manner. Happiness is also a powerful energy that spreads out into the community around you as well.
When you are used to striving and working towards a distant future, it can be difficult to know how to step back and allow happiness into your life. How do you just get back into the moment, into the now?
Hypnosis is a state of mind that is ideally suited to do exactly this. Hypnosis in itself allows you to take a step back, relax and view things from a different angle. Hypnosis also allows you to access your subconscious mind. This is the part of your mind where automatic and instinctive thoughts are stored. You can with hypnosis both identify and change these types of thoughts.
