Be Happy With Yourself

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Source: www.colipera.com

Being happy with our self is at the core of all of life’s happiness.

When you are happy with yourself, your life is filled with opportunities to be at your full potential. You will have endless possibilities to create and do extraordinary things.

Studies show that people who are happy with themselves are more friendly and genuine; they are more confident, have more initiative, and recover from failure faster.

All these traits create a context where success and fulfillment happen a lot easier.

However, in all this, being happy with one’s self is not very common.

Most people struggle with limiting beliefs and self-image issues that prevent them from being in this condition.

Here are some tips to avoid that:

1. Discover your life purpose. This is the most commonly overlooked area in life. Without a clear direction on where to go and what to become, one is like a ship without a compass. Life becomes routine, confusing, boring, and meaningless without a purpose. Remember that we are all here for a reason and it is up to each one of us to find that out.

“If a man does not know what port he is steering for, no wind is favorable to him.” - Seneca

2. Move. Don’t just sit down and smile after finding out your purpose. Don’t just hope for better days if there’s a passion burning in your heart. Take Action. Make it happen. Albeit slowly, the most important thing is to take that first step.

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

3. Love yourself as you are. A lot of people are miserable because they are not happy with who they are. They do not love who or what they are, and therefore can’t stand being alone with themselves. Unless we learn to truly accept and love our self, we can’t be completely happy. This is not being self-centered, it’s being conscious that you are as valuable as the next person you come in contact with. Realize you are already perfect, and experience the power of that awareness.

“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” – Judy Garland

4. Make forgiveness a habit. When you forgive, the one truly relieved of emotional burden is you. Withholding forgiveness is the worst thing you can do for yourself. The antagonist may have already moved on years ago, and yet the unforgiving person still suffers from the emotional weight of hate, anger, depression, and bitterness. You benefit the most from forgiving.

“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.” – Paul Boese

5. Be grateful for what you have. The key to a life of happiness and contentment is thankfulness. Appreciating the simple, amazing things in life, like being able to breathe, getting active, and communicating with others does wonders for our souls. Be thankful for the people around you, your loved ones, your friends, your boss – every one. Even the ones who stretch your patience, they too have a purpose for existence (if only to build your character.)

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” - Melody Beattie

6. Contribute. Seeking happiness through being content and simplifying life is meaningless if we don’t use the time we have created in serving our Creator through other people. A meaningful life is not how great we are but how willing we are to contribute to the greatness in others. This is of more lasting impact and the source of real, more permanent happiness.

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” – Albert Pike

You might worry that wanting to be happier is a selfish goal. Actually, it’s the contrary. Studies also show that happier people are more inclined to help other people.

In effect, our happiness positively affects those around us. It’s the best thing we can give to the people we love and care about.