We all yearn for happiness, and it's been painted for us as a trophy at the end of a long marathon of successes and achievements. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself where happiness truly comes from? I invite you to explore with me the intricacies of this quest.
Society has made us believe that happiness is a prize earned only by amassing money, success, and ideal relationships. At least, that's how I grew up, conditioned to think that a "good job," a "good salary," getting married and having children was the recipe for happiness. As the years went by, I realized, both in my own life and in those around me, that this wasn't true. There were those who had all that and more and still weren't happy. And I, despite moving forward and achieving "success" after "success," still felt an emptiness inside.
I discovered the problem: if I placed happiness always on the other side of success, it was like getting on a treadmill trying to reach a goal. Because once I achieved a success, a new goal appeared; I always wanted more and more. I'd reach one objective, and the finish line moved further away. Like trying to catch the horizon; the more I ran, the more it seemed to recede. There I was, in my lawyer days, believing that each step I climbed would lead me to that emotional utopia.
Moving to the United States, changing careers, seeking a new partner. Like a dog chasing its tail, I spun in circles hoping to find happiness with the next turn. "Look within", they told me. But how? Inside what? “In your heart”. Where in my heart? Despite the best intentions of those giving advice, everything was too vague, and I remained just as lost and just as unhappy.
The epiphany came later than I would have liked, but now I know the universe's timing is perfect. And at the end of a long search, it arrived. The emotions, that happiness I so longed for, didn't come from what I had, from my achievements, or from another person; "inside me" was my mind, my thoughts. My beliefs, those internal programs instilled in me by family, society, media, and the world were the lenses through which I viewed everything. And clearly, those lenses were smudged with limitations, making everything I saw tinged with dissatisfaction.
I began to understand that I needed to recalibrate, not my external life, but my internal perception. Positive thoughts are not a cliché; they are a tool. The power to choose my thoughts, the power of autosuggestion became my shield and my weapon. Emile Coue, a French hypnotherapist, offered me a simple phrase: "Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better". And since we can only hold one thought at a time, I chose to focus on that one. Repeating this phrase, which also serves as a mantra that pulls me out of any rut, allows me to adjust my internal compass, to return to my center, and from there, to approach any troubling situation with a new perspective.
As Einstein said, "We cannot solve a problem with the same level of consciousness that created it". When I'm faced with an uncomfortable emotion, the first thing I do is raise my vibration until I reach a positive emotion, and from there, I tackle the situation. It's as simple as taking off one pair of glasses and putting on another.
My journey from law to where I am today, passing through different countries, relationships, jobs, and professions, has taught me that true happiness isn't outside of me. It's not in the next achievement or the next change. It's right here, right now, in the choice of my thoughts at this very moment. And although we face challenges, we can always choose how to react to them. So, why not choose happiness?
When gray clouds loom overhead, stop. Repeat the phrase "Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better", which works like a magic spell to reclaim your inner power.
Happiness, after all, is only a thought away.
With that, I leave you, until next time! ✌🏼
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