Happiness Can Only Be Found in Loving Who We Are

“Unless you are happy with yourself,
you will not be happy.”

Robert Holden, Happiness Now

Almost everyone has searched for the elusive treasure we call happiness. Most of us were taught that this treasure exists outside of us, and we’ve searched to find our happiness in people, places, things and careers.  A few of us were taught that this treasure box actually exists inside of us, but we were also taught that someone else holds the key to our happiness-- and we must find that someone. So we’ve spent much of our lives scavenger-hunting for the key we already unknowingly possessed.

In our quest for happiness, some of us have dug deep to find the “treasure” that is Mr. or Ms. Right. Once he or she was unearthed, we tried even harder to excavate our “treasure” from them-- only to come up empty because people are not the key to our happiness. Others of us have spent big bucks on clothes, cars and trips. We’ve felt exhilarated by our purchasing power, but when we’ve tried to excavate our “treasure” from these things, we’ve come up empty because objects are not the key to our happiness. Still others of us have worked our way to corporate success or moved to dream locations to find our “treasure.” Initially, we felt marvelous, but then we realized we weren’t really happy. We’d come up empty again because happiness can‘t be found in achievements or places.

Truth is we are all born possessing the key to our happiness. We are the key. As Robert Holden says our happiness requires only one thing: That we be happy with ourselves. Our happiness comes naturally from accepting and loving who we are. No person, place, achievement or thing can give us self-acceptance. It’s a gift we have to provide to ourselves. God gave us the gift of self and we must give ourselves the gift of accepting who we are-- unconditionally.

Aside from self-love and appreciation, there is no other way to experience lasting happiness. As soon as we look outside ourselves for happiness, we give our natural happiness away. When we look outside we place our happiness into the hands of outside forces. We give our power away and make other people or things responsible for our happiness. No one else and no thing can be responsible for our happiness; only we can be. Likewise, we can’t be responsible for anyone else’s happiness; only they can be.

Think about this. 1) We meet Mr. or Ms. Right, but we aren’t happy with ourselves, so deep down we don’t believe they are really happy with us. If we don’t love us, we will never believe Mr. or Ms. Right loves us. 2) We buy Armani clothing and try flaunting our way to happiness. But we aren’t happy with our bodies, so we don’t believe anyone really thinks we look good in our new ritzy rags. 3) We move to San Diego and we’re so happy at first; then we realize we had to bring our selves with us-- the persons we don't like-- and so we aren’t happy in our new home town. 4) We get that promotion at work. We’re happy to be in-line for the top management position we've always wanted. But then we remember we’re not happy with us and we are suddenly sure we’ll never be good enough to reach the top. So we sabotage our happiness and our chance for future success.

Happiness is in our hands. It requires only one thing: self-love. Learn to love the person that you are and allow your soul to shine!