Happiness Articles

Learning how to find happiness can certainly be a lifelong journey. But that does not mean you'll never know how to be happy long-term. It's simply a process like anything else, with peaks and valleys. But the reward can be a more consistent ride and finding a flow with less extreme highs and lows.

Happiness Is…

by Jared Akers

Many people view happiness as subjective; that it can be different for everyone and thus impossible to develop a “one size fits all” approach to finding happiness. Yet it seems deep down inside everyone I’ve met and worked with, there’s something deeper and more common then we think in all of us; the yearning for peace of mind.

We’ve all heard the statement, “you can’t buy happiness.” Some of us, myself included, have often responded with something like, “that’s something only rich people say,” or “give me a million and let me try!” Even though we may believe this statement to be true, we still attempt to find happiness through monetary rewards or material possessions don’t we? I’m one freakin’ happy guy I think, yet there are times when I still struggle with wanting new things. The latest is a new road bike.

The difference today is I just get more creative at rationalizing things. However, I am more aware of my motives today; before I spend my hard earned money on something I really ask myself if it’s something I need. More often then not, I end up putting stuff back on the shelf. [Read more…]

Everything Happens for a Reason. Does it Really?

by Jared Akers

You hear people say it all the time: “Everything Happens for a Reason.” But does everything happen for a reason? Or is it our job to give reason to it?

This saying, or idea, intrigues me. My logical brain (which I try not to entertain too much) views it as a tool for dealing with acceptance, although this tool only works when we choose to use it ourselves.

Most of us know you shouldn’t walk up to someone who just experienced some tragic event, be all optimistic and say, “everything happens for a reason dude.” You may get punched in the face for good reason.

In a sense, I don’t believe everything happens for a reason. Yes, I believe God reveals things to me or puts people and circumstances in my life, but it’s what I learn from those experiences that brings reason to them. It’s more a matter of faith; faith that no matter what the obstacle, I can get through it and learn from it. A faith that only comes from experience. Prior to developing this faith, I was constantly filled with fear and anxiety. [Read more…]

Recipe for Happiness

by Jared Akers

The term “recipe for happiness” is interesting… as if you can put in certain ingredients; throw it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and out pops happiness. Sort of like those cooking shows we’ve all seen where they put the dish in the oven and pull the finished product out of the one below it. Could finding happiness really be that easy?

Making Your Happiness Cake

Like any great cake, it starts with great ingredients; what are the ingredients you think we need in our happiness cake? Here are my suggestions:

1 Cup Inner Peace
1 Cup of Spirituality
1 Cup of a Realistic Perspective of Yourself
1 Cup of Gratitude
A Sprinkle of Service Work

[Read more…]

How to Find Inner Peace and Happiness

by Jared Akers

So you want to know how to “find” inner peace and happiness?

If you’ve been around How to Be Happy long enough, you probably already know what I’m about to say… that’s right, find inner peace and you’ll discover happiness.

Happiness is a by-product of inner peace; so you don’t really find it, it finds you. If you’ve read my report, How To Be Happy Now, then you know what I’m talking about.

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
-Mahatma Gandhi

Looking at the Gandhi quote, happiness is a result of having our thoughts and actions in sync. But what about people who think angry and act angry; are they happy? Hmm, that’s a great question. I’m sure that is not what Gandhi was talking about, but I would add that if your actions cause harm or pain to others, that would not equate to happiness for yourself. That is if you have any type of conscience or moral compass; this obviously excludes sociopaths. Speaking of sociopaths, that reminds me of the first time I met my wife’s father and stepmother… You all like stories right? (I’ll digress for a moment) [Read more…]

Overcoming Fear

by Jared Akers

It’s a rainy day in 2004 and my fiance’ and I are sitting at an intersection waiting for the light to change. I can see our destination across the intersection; a loan office where a check is waiting for our engagement ring. My gut is telling me this isn’t the right thing to be doing (the marriage not the loan) so I pick a fight. I’m not equipped emotionally to know what I need or want out of life; all I know is the fear of being alone. My fiance’ begins to cry and I fear she does not love me, so I tell her I love her and everything is going to be OK. We pick up the loan check. We get married in January of ‘05 and annulled six months later. Looking back, fear influenced nearly every decision in my life.

As I have transformed my life into a purposeful spiritual journey, one thing has become abundantly clear; fear had been and continues to be at the root of most of my problems. The fear I experience is usually rooted in two beliefs: 1) that I’m not going to get something I think I want, or 2) that I’m about to lose something I think I have. I emphasis think in both instances because most of what I have is merely an illusion. In that they’re material or contingent on others; neither one of which I have control over. What I do have control over is my thoughts, where most of my fears are manifested.

FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real

Fear as a Motivator

[Read more…]

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