Be happy, loving and free. Does anyone not like the sound of this? How would your life be different if you felt happy, loving and free all the time? Probably there would be more easiness, lightness and flow for starters. Here are some thoughts to get going.
Be happy.
Do you find that your happiness waxes and wanes? Do you believe that it depends on others, circumstances, doing or achieving? All these types of happiness can only ever be transient. As a result, instead of constant happiness, we find ourselves constantly looking for our next happiness ‘fix.’
So, how about a more constant happiness? The thing is, true and constant happiness is of a different nature to transient happiness. True happiness isn’t dependent on anything outside of us. It’s inherent within us. It’s a choice we make at every moment. It needs fostering. It can be extended to create an atmosphere of happiness around us. This allows us to be an influencer, rather than one who is influenced.
Happiness is closely linked with love. One of the times when we experience natural happiness is when we are giving, caring or extending ourselves beyond ourselves. Secondly, the best way to create a stable atmosphere of happiness around ourselves is to become content inside. Inner contentment depends on us giving ourselves permission to love ourselves.
Be loving.
Love is the greatest transformative power in the world. It brings us healing, strength and courage. It leads to acts of greatness. It honours others’ journeys through life, allowing and supporting them to learn and grow. Love too is a part of our being. It, too, needs nurturing within us.
In meditation we can re-discover and empower our inherent happy and loving nature. Just a note: if you find your mind is filled with negative thoughts, don’t add to them by beating yourself up. Deal with your mind with love. Talk to it kindly as you would a small child, and transformation then becomes possible.
As our natural happiness and loving nature grow, the freer and less dependent we become.
Be Free.
Freedom is about the freedom to be oneself. The freedom to express our own true nature and qualities, and to live fully from the inside out. It’s to live in the flow of our own peace, love and happiness, and to allow others to live in theirs.
The freer we become, the stronger we become. It gets easier to face difficult situations and solutions increasingly just seem to jump out at us. We feel like sharing what’s valuable and meaningful to us. As our discernment grows about what’s at the heart of what’s being said, the sharper our clarity is about how to respond in the most beneficial way for all. We become empowered and so are able to act truthfully and with love.
The thread that runs through?
It’s the thread of self-respect. It’s self-respect that enables us to stop beating ourselves up and start exploring what happiness, love and freedom really are and mean to us. As we get to understand and know ourselves better, our self-respect deepens and an inner dignity and humility emerge. Our respect for others naturally grows too.
Be happy. Be Loving. Be free. It all comes down to allowing our self to be who we are and others to be who they are. Self-respect and respect for others make it possible.
