Create your own sunshine – Be Happy

A valuable life lesson that I have learned is that no one is going to make you happy. Materialistic things will make you happy for a short time and then you go back to normal. People might make you laugh, make you feel loved and cared for but they cannot make you happy.

One very good example is a kids movie – Trolls. The story is about two brave Trolls who must save their friends. They need to protect their village from the Bergens. Bergens are big, unhappy creatures who think eating Trolls will make them happy. The Bergens even have a day called “Trollstice”, the day where they eat trolls to be happy.

But The Trolls escape from the Bergens and the Bergens remain unhappy. In the end, Princess Poppy and the Trolls show the Bergens that happiness does not come from eating someone else; it comes from inside yourself. The Bergens learn that they can feel joy through friendship, kindness, and celebrating who they are.

Searching for happiness is like waiting for a cat to text you back, it will not happen.  It is your own responsibility to make yourself happy.

Do the things you love: read, paint, draw, walk, run, cook or clean. Dance to your favourite song or eat your favourite snack. Appreciate the little things in life and remember to stop and smell the flowers. Eat the dessert and don’t worry about the calories.

When I was younger and I told my mom “I want this or that” she would simply say “switch on the light and I will help you search for it”. A little sarcastic but also a way of saying “No, you can’t have it”. So don’t wait for someone to switch on the lamp to search for your happiness. You have search for it by yourself.

I also found a very powerful text for some extra motivation to find your happiness:

“If you are unhappy, start with your body – nourish it, rest it, move it.

If you are uninspired, start with your mind – excite it, expose it, open it.

If you are unmotivated, start with the heart – find your why, be of service.”

Happiness is not hiding under your bed. It’s not in your fridge (okay… maybe the chocolate helps). And it’s definitely not waiting for you at the bottom of your laundry basket. I checked. Twice.

Creating your own happiness is more like making a weird smoothie: You throw in random things and hope it tastes good.

Start with the things you like and love to do. Dance in kitchen, draw a silly face, send 16 roses to a friend.

Celebrate the silly wins, “Oh I drank a whole bottle of water today!” Congratulations you are a hydrated legend.

Stop waiting for everything to be perfect. Made a mistake? Say “Oopsies”, fix it and move on.

Add sparkles and sprinkles. Talk to your houseplants, talk to your pets. Laugh at silly things no matter how childish it might be.

Remember: Happiness is homemade. Not delivered by Amazon. Not on sale. And definitely not hiding under the bed.

You make it.

You stir it.

And only YOU own it!