IT’S MID SUMMER AND WHAT A TIME AND PLACE TO FIND SOME HAPPINESS IN YOUR LIFE! MANY PEOPLE WHO FEEL DEPRESSED OR ANXIOUS SEE HAPPINESS AS SOMETHING THEY MUST “WORK” TOWARD OR “OBTAIN” AS A BENEFIT OF SOMETHING ELSE THEY HAVE ENDEAVORED.
HOWEVER, THIS IS REALLY NOT TRUE. THE OXFORD DICTIONARY DEFINES HAPPINESS AS — BEING PLEASED, CONTENT, GLAD , DELIGHTED, JOYFUL, CHEERFUL, LIGHTHEARTED, THRILLED, GLEEFUL, ELATED, JUBILANT, EXHILARATED —– THE LIST GOES ON FOR QUITE A WHILE. IT MIGHT BE FRUITFUL TO CHECK IT OUT AS ONE READS THE INDIVIDUAL MEANINGS. EACH WORD HAS ITS OWN MEANING , IT’S OWN INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT MIGHT RELATE TO A STATE OF BEING THAT ONE CAN IDENTIFY WITH IN THE PRESENT OR IN THE PAST.
THINK OF SOMETIME IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN DELIGHTED, GLEEFUL OR CONTENT. PONDER THESE MOMENTS. TIMES OR PERHAPS YEARS IN YOUR LIFE. THEY ARE JUST AS REAL AS YOUR DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY MAY FEEL RIGHT NOW.
CHALLENGE – CHOOSE A SYNONYM FOR HAPPINESS AND CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH YOU ACTUALLY FEEL THAT WAY NOW — IF ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES. GO BACK TO THE DICTIONARY AND CHOOSE ANOTHER WORD FOR HAPPINESS AND TRY THAT ONE ON IN THE PRESENT OR A REMEMBERING OF THE PAST. ALLOW YOURSELF TO STAY IN THAT PLACE HOWEVER LONG YOU DESIRE. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR RESULTS.
EMAIL ME VIA MY WEBSITE. LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT YOUR HAPPINESS. WRITE RKANETHERAPY.COM
