Happiness is a smile on her face, and you can’t help but feel the joy radiating from within. It is feeling fulfilled, active and high spirits. I truly believe that feeling of happiness is the end goal for all of us. 

Happiness - You can not buy it, trade it, wish it. You have to design it and then act on it. You have to be open and mindful to what is placed right in front of you all day and every day. There is a perfect plan for you, and the ultimate goal is to be receptive to all of the messages that are constantly thrown at you. 

So many examples of things that happen to you every day:

• Being in the right place at the right time.
• Running into an somebody that you have not seen or a new person that shares valuable information. 
• A party, a new job, a sale, a soul mate for you.

It is all part of that perfect plan.
 

Ask yourself, what makes you always your happiest self? 

• Spending time with your husband, partner, children, or friend. 
• Being active or busy with activities like skiing, tennis, dancing, cooking, painting, watching a movie, or reading a book

I am sure you got the picture. These are all experiences and things that make you feel good.

The Secret is “Only focus on the good” and that’s it. When things are good you have to focus on that.

Could the secret to happiness be so simple?

If we do not focus on negativity but rather positive things in your life, you would be a lot happier. If situations are not going as planned, make a new plan and change it.

We choose how to perceive and interpret events that happen in our life and we can opt to look at the positive, unless of course there are serious issues like declining health that we can not change. If there are issues like declining health, we try to take a different perspective and look for whatever positive we can. For example, the situation could be worse then it is, I am fortunate to be in a position to help this person, or I am going to savor whatever time I can. 

We have been blessed with the incredible power to reframe and train ourselves to put things in a proper perspective.

Our lives are comprised of thousands of images and experiences, a painting, if you will, which we may view as “unworthy”.  But if we can take the time and energy to approach them in a different way, these images can be transformed into beautiful works of art.

The key is putting time and effort into reframing our thinking so we can see our lives for the masterpieces they really are. You never know what someone else is going through; if a person, for example, aggravates you in an interaction, you do not know what has been happening in their day, their day may be worse than yours. It is an opportunity for you to work on mastering patience and anger management. This opportunity to reframe your situation can be a fortunate, meaningful endeavor for self-improvement!

Reframing has the power to change the way we look at the world around us, from something as simple to standing in line at the pharmacy, to the largest, most impactful events in our lives. Practice reframing with your kids. Throw out a scenario and ask them how they can reframe it and look at it in a positive way.

The more you get into the habit of seeing the good, the happier you will be.