Gratitude: One of the secrets to happiness

Happiness seems to elude some people because some of us tend to pursue it in the wrong direction. We tend to believe at times that the more wealth or position we acquire the happier we become but that never really happens as the reverse turns out to be the case. It is true that acquiring something new is exciting but then the happiness bubbles burst and we are enticed into looking further for more. Even if we acquire a new position, the happiness does not usually last because we quickly get used to the position and what was originally exciting becomes normal and we end up agitating for something else.

Many people compare themselves to others who have what looks like a more successful life, hoping that if they had the same lifestyle they would be happier. Money is ordinarily the yardstick we use for evaluating our success. We believe that with more money, life will be great but hear Hugh Downs, “A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes’’.

Are you in the habit of putting your happiness on hold for a future date when you earn more? That is when you think you must have achieved a lot in life? What if that does not come? Choose to be happy now in your thoughts, feelings, and desires because change is one thing that is constant in life. It may be rice for you today and beans tomorrow. As a result of this, we will never find enduring happiness. Things that used to give us joy may lose their taste sooner than we think. Even the great job we thought would be fulfilling now leaves us empty tomorrow.

As humans, where can we find happiness? We find happiness in the simple pleasures of life, appreciating the little costless things we have and accepting ourselves the way we are bearing in mind that we are wonderfully made by God; we are unique individuals.

There are many ways to find happiness in our everyday activities. Occupying ourselves doing what matters to us and living true to our means are the recipes for happiness. Happiness is not difficult, it is only when we let other things get in the way that it seems so difficult to obtain.

However, the key to happiness is to want what we have rather than having what you want. What this means is that one should be satisfied with what one has, what one does and who one associates with. Don’t spend time seeking the next best thing; rather, spend time to appreciate what you have.

If you want to be happy, then you have to release all negative thinking by replacing them with positive thoughts. Gratitude will remove all the negative energy from your mind because you will start focusing on things you have instead of what you don’t have.

Life is full of obstacles that many times we may find ourselves in a difficult situation that seem to make life meaningless but the good news is that these difficulties are just one part of our lives. Life can be fulfilling, rich and rewarding as well. Your happiness and success in life depends on your ability to focus on the good and deemphasize the difficulties: that is easy to say but very difficult to do when we are disappointed or discouraged in life.

There is a key that unlocks this ability in you. It is so simple that you may not notice it let alone of thinking of its value. This key is gratitude. Joseph Wood Krutch says, “Happiness is itself a kind of gratitude.” Always remember that a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his wealth so be grateful and happy no matter the circumstance.