Ways to Effectively Deal With Criticism

Living a life that others accept or want for you is limiting your birth right of FREE WILL.  It’s not their life. It’s yours. Make the most of it! :)

Not everyone will understand your journey. That’s okay. It’s not their journey. It’s yours. Embrace your freedom. Your true purpose is not to be here to please others. Life is about embracing who you are and following where your passions and desires lead!

If you live to serve others to avoid judgement and criticism – doing what makes them happy –  you will become very unhappy. That unhappiness will lead to depression. It’s a sign that you are putting off what your soul yearns for you to do. You limit your full potential and disconnect yourself from your true self. Advice is great, but most people (even close loved ones) don’t understand your journey. So, the only person who truly knows what is best for you is… well… you!

Anyway, in most cases, others opinion and criticism is not about you, it’s about them.  It’s coming from their limited perspective, worries and fears. Instead of taking their judgement personal or getting into an argument, there are many positive action steps you can take to move forward.
Here’s our Ways to Effectively Deal with Criticism:

1. Take a deep breath (or a few).
The best thing to do is to not react right away. Take a deep breath, or a few, if you need. There’s actually a very good reason for this. When we feel attacked, we sometimes go into a fight or flight mode. Taking a deep breath allows oxygen to continue, it lowers our heart rate, and it allows for our response to be more calm and reasonable.

If you immediately react, and feel threatened you are taking the defense. This brings unneeded stress to your body. Remind yourself that they are not you, they have not walked a day in your shoes and you are doing just fine. If there’s a bit of truth to what they are saying, consider it later when you have a clear mind. A perfect response would be, “Thanks. Let me take some time to think about that.”

If the the criticism is a borderline insult, don’t reply at all. Take a few deep breaths and just leave the conversation. You never want to react harshly and regret it later.

2. Don’t take it personal.
In most cases, criticism has very little to do with you and more to do with the person and their perspective of the world. If someone offends you, it’s usually because they feel that way about themselves or their abilities. They are advising you based on how they feel. If you highly respect and trust this person, the next tip will help you. If you don’t, then definitely don’t take it personal at all! Let it go in one ear and just as quickly out the other.

3. Look for the truth.
Remember, there is always a small degree of truth in everything. Statements that may feel like criticism can actually just be gentle, loving reminders. In fact, we may take a strong offense towards it because there is some truth in it and our Ego freaks out. Yep… that’s right! It seems crazy, but it’s true.
Allowing yourself to be open-minded to what you hear doesn’t mean you have to believe it or act upon it. It just means if you find something you can learn from, by all means do it! Sometimes others can help us see things that we cannot to grow and improve.

4. When the going gets tough, get TOUGHER!
Exactly! Even if you are a sensitive person, you’re going to have to toughen up and build a tolerance to criticism. It’s easy to be a critic, so most people are. It takes strength and courage to be who you truly are and live your own life.

You’ve got to get tough, because the truth is, you’ll meet critics your whole life. However, the good news is… the less attention you give to criticism, the less you’ll experience it.

The best “Get Tougher Tool” is self-esteem and a deep inner confidence. So, if you feel defeated when judgement and criticism arise focus and develop your own inner love and confidence. When you know who you are and why you are here, you’re unstoppable.

5. Always be true to yourself!This is the most important tip of them all – be true to yourself! Other people don’t have to understand your journey or even accept it. When you are true to yourself and who you are life is magical. Doors of opportunity open at every corner. Solutions are endless and life is fun and exciting.

Signs You May Be An Old Soul

Do you feel older than you really are?

You could be an old soul.

About 10% of the world’s population are made up of them – and if you aren’t an old soul yourself, you’ve most likely met one.  An old soul emanates warmth and enlightenment, using their wisdom and patience to teach the lessons that have been passed down through the ages.  They present themselves as special types of people in our world. They see through ancient eyes and understand through an ancient heart.

An old soul’s outlook on life is far different, and more mature than many others. They are vital to the evolution of our collective consciousness.  Old souls have experienced lifetime after lifetime, and have refined their inner wisdom through their dealings with Karma.  As a result, the old soul lives life internally, following a solitary path while illuminating a path for others at the same time.

If you’ve been told that you’re wise beyond your years, you may be an old soul, but if you’re not sure whether your soul is “old” or not, these 10 signs will tell you:


1.  You travel an independent path.
Because old souls are disinterested in the pursuits and interests of people in their age groups, they find it difficult to make friends with people they can’t relate to. This can turn into a potential problem, as an old soul may find themselves alone often. But, many old souls see the true value of their own company. This introverted nature doesn’t really come from a social preference or temperament – it’s simply a sign of having an old soul.

2. You thirst for knowledge, wisdom and truth.
The old soul is naturally attracted to intellect, wisdom, and philosophy.   To an old soul, frivolous, superficial lifestyles have little or no meaning or value,  for their own path toward enlightenment is actively sought out through wisdom, happiness, and truth.

3. You are spiritually inclined.
The old soul has been finely tuned into their intuition and greater guides.  This can have the effect of creating heightened senses both spiritually and emotionally as they realize their place in life.  An old soul prefers this life however, knowing that it is most fulfilling for them to pursue love, enlightenment and peace.

4. You didn’t “fit in” with children your age.
If you got along with adults as a child more than you did other children, you may very well be an old soul. An old soul isn’t as absorbed in the interests of others in their age group, and therefore find it more difficult to make friends with them, which can sometimes be problematic for them because they can feel like an outsider.

They are also often misunderstood by others.  For instance, adults may have just considered you to by shy or awkward with other children your age. However, your inquisitive, mature, and intelligent nature attracted you toward people older than you that display more intelligence and wisdom than those in your age group.

And if you are a parent of a child who responds better when around adults, you may come to realize that they too, are an old soul.

5. You reflect often on your inner thoughts and feelings.
Old souls have learned many lessons through their spirit cycle that they often take time to reflect on their actions and the actions of people around them.  This ability serves as a great teacher in their life, and in turn, makes them clearly perceptive of their surroundings.

    “The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond, and must be polished, or the luster of it will never appear” – Daniel Defoe

6. You see the bigger picture.
Like a small cog in a big machine, old souls realize that they are a small, but integral part of life.  They see from a higher perspective when approaching life, realizing that they are one with all that is as they aim to align themselves, and their actions, with that of the highest good.  As troubles confront the old soul, they simply see each as a passing cloud that will only reveal the sun once more.  This helps lead them through life with a placid nature.

7. You act as a voice for humankind.
Old souls often act as a representative for mankind through their own creative expression.  They depict the mental activities of society through the liberal arts, giving a voice to the thoughts of culture as a whole.  Throughout history, many sages have connected us through a depiction of their visualization in the most creative ways.  The old soul finds fulfillment in this self-expression. Their creativity, knowledge and intuitive nature make an impact on those they meet and ripple through humankind.

8. You understand that life is short.
An old soul always finds itself being reminded of mortality, that this physical realm is only temporary. They make the most of each moment. Although this can drive the old soul into being withdrawn, the inner solitude and increasing detachment gives them clarity. They feel the inner desire to be a prophetic voice teaching others to respect and value their time.

9. You aren’t materialistic.
The old soul focuses more on the beauty and value that life naturally provides rather than the short lived joys of material posessions.  They respect Mother Earth and strive to get by with only what they need for fulfillment. For them, what nature provides is far more valuable than any social status, the latest trends or any unearthly matter.

10. You just “feel” old.
As you quietly walk your path seeking fulfillment, you may find yourself to have little energy compared to the younger souls around you.  Much like a person who is old in age, your old soul has already experienced a lot and is not excited by the trivial things in life. To an old soul, relaxing in a calm, quiet setting is about as good as it gets.

Your Dreams into Reality

1. Don’t Give Into Fear

Have you ever heard the saying “There’s nothing to fear but fear itself?” Keep that in mind when you tell yourself all the reasons that you can’t follow your dreams. Most fear arises from a lack of knowledge about what’s to come; it’s the fear of the unknown. Humans naturally fear what they don’t know because they have no control over unfamiliar circumstances. It all centers around a lack of control and knowledge, but the best way to get over the fear is to just dive in headfirst, and forge ahead into unknown territory. After all, you never know unless you try.

If you’re afraid of something, you should probably do it. Remember when you first went to an amusement park, and rode that roller-coaster that you thought you could never face, let alone come off of alive? After your first ride, you probably wanted to ride it again and again. Following your dreams is much the same; life’s a roller-coaster, and the only way to know what lies ahead for you is to get on and see where it takes you.

2. Forget About NormalMany people never follow their dreams because they believe they must live their lives according to what’s “normal.” But, what’s normal for one person may not be normal for another. One person might be destined for a desk job which leads to an executive position later on down the road. However, your destiny might lead you to a foreign country where you teach English to natives or become a travel writer.

Don’t give into society’s idea about how a person should live. You can create whatever reality you want, so remember to walk your own path. Follow your heart, not the herd.

3. Don’t Listen to OthersThis one might seem a little defiant and harsh, but ultimately it’s true. If you spend your life listening to everyone else telling you how you should live it, you will have spent all that time pleasing others instead of yourself. Everyone else loves to tell others how to live their lives because it gives them a sense of control and empowerment, but no one knows as well as you what makes you happy.

Trust yourself; your heart is trying to guide you in the right direction, but if you let others lead you astray, you will always walk every path except for the one you’re meant to follow. It doesn’t matter if others think your idea is crazy or that you will never follow your dreams; do what you have to do and everything else will naturally fall into place for you.

4. Stop Seeking ApprovalThis relates to the previous topic about listening to your own voice rather than everyone else’s. However, it’s equally important to not be a people-pleaser. I believe this goes back to what we were taught by our parents and teachers when we were young; we’re often taught to ask others for guidance or seek other’s advice before we do something. If the person we ask for advice says something isn’t a good idea, we tend to believe them and trust their guidance. We all just want to be well-liked by everyone, which is normal. However, “there is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.”—Aristotle.

You only need the approval of one person: yourself. You will never make every person in the world happy, so don’t bother trying. Just do what makes you happy, and other people will either be happy for you, or be jealous. Understand that jealousy is also a form of flattery in itself, and people are often jealous because they wish they had the courage to do what you’re doing with your life. Encourage these people to follow their dreams as well; if everyone followed their dreams, imagine how different the world would be!

5. Get Comfortable with UncomfortableHumans are creatures of comfort; once we get into a routine or pattern, it becomes very difficult to break. That’s why getting out of your comfort zone often helps facilitate growth; the comfort zone is just that: a comfortable place where you can lay your head at night, but nothing grows there. Many people don’t like change and will do anything to avoid it. However, the only difference between following your dreams and letting them go unfulfilled is in change. Nothing ever changed by doing the same thing over and over again; you must make a change in order to see different results.

If you aren’t happy with your current job, then leave. You aren’t a tree, you can move any time you please. We didn’t come to this life to be comfortable, but rather, to challenge ourselves and reach our fullest potential. The most successful people only reached the level they’re at today by getting uncomfortable often. By challenging yourself, you become who you’re meant to be.

6. Believe in YourselfIf you started believing in yourself, imagine what you could accomplish. You don’t have to know exactly how you’ll get from Point A to Point B, and you don’t even have to have a destination in mind to believe in your journey. If you wholeheartedly believe in your dream, you don’t need anything else. You are already enough, exactly as you are. If you believe you’re smart enough, confident enough, healthy enough, brave enough, etc, then you are. Humans believe what they want to believe, and have incredible power over our own minds. We can literally shape our realities based on our own thoughts and actions, so keep this in mind when you wake up every morning.

If you start believing in your dream and do everything in your power to make it come to life, you need nothing else. Having faith in yourself makes you an unstoppable force of nature, and the Universe will help you make your dream happen as long as you believe in it.

7. Focus on Love

Love is the opposite of fear, so do everything in your life from a place of love instead. Be loving toward yourself, other people, the environment, other animals, and everything around you. Once you match your energy to the natural loving energy of the Universe, you will get everything you ever wanted. Life is merely a game of energy, and mastering it only requires you to be what you were meant to be, which is love.

Every person is born into this world with loving intentions, and is the embodiment of Love itself. However, hate, fear, stress, and violence are learned behaviors and operate on very low frequencies. Once you strive to come from a place of love with every thought, action, and emotion, you naturally raise your frequency and the Universe responds to that! Love is the answer

You Must Know About Your Mind

1. The brain does not know the difference between reality and imaginationThe brain reacts to whatever you think about in the same exact way it would as if that thing was actually happening. This is how the placebo effect works. If the brain believes that you are taking a pharmaceutical drug (when it’s actually a sugar pill) the body actually reacts as if the sugar pill was a real drug. We also see this in the nocebo effect. The nocebo effect is the placebo effect in reverse. Instead of the brain curing illness it actually creates it because of a belief. That’s how a hypochondriac can watch the evening news, hear about a new illness and actually start to feel the symptoms of that illness by believing that he actually has it.

If you don’t believe that the brain does not know the difference between something real and something you merely think about, just sit back and think about something bad happening to someone you love. Even if the person that you love is two feet in front of you and completely safe you will start to feel anxiety in the pit of your stomach. This happens when a part of your brain called the hypothalamus triggers a release of a chemical called cortisol from your adrenal glands.

The good news is that when you think positive thoughts, the brain reacts as if that thought is reality and triggers the release of all the “feel-good” hormones and chemicals that would be released if that thing were actually taking place. A positive or affirmative thought has been shown to be much more powerful than a negative thought.

2. You experience what you think about most.
Whatever you think about most is increasingly brought into your experience. For instance, if you buy a new car you will start to see that particular car everywhere. Why didn’t you notice that car before you bought yours? You didn’t notice it because you didn’t own one yourself. When you bought your car you started to think about it more frequently. When you think about something a lot you start to see all the opportunities that reinforce your specific thought pattern.

Why is this important to understand?

It’s important because if you find yourself always attracting the wrong person or stressful situation, you need to reprogram your thoughts.  Whatever you think about on a regular basis is training you to pick up on situations that match that vibration. Positive people attract positive people and situations, while negative people attract negative people and situations. This is not a coincidence. Your thoughts are controlling this pattern. Before wishing for someone else to change try changing yourself first and watch the magic unfold.

3. Your mind runs mostly on autopilot
On average, the human brain has about 60,000 thoughts a day. Not only are many of these thoughts the same thoughts we had yesterday, there can also be many negative thoughts dwelling on something “bad” in the past or fearing something that could potentially happen in the future.  And since the brain does not know the difference between something real and something you think about, if you think something ‘bad’, the negative thoughts can subconsciously corrupt your life.  Negative thoughts not only create stress and anxiety, but can train your brain to be in a constant state of distress, and even decrease the effectiveness of your immune system.

Train your brain to think more positive thoughts.   When you re-wire your brain and help the subconscious mind think positively, you’ll begin to reap one benefit after another, and ultimately see a more positive experience in your life.

4. Shutting off your mind is a mustYou can literally begin to turn off the thousands and thousands of automatic negative thoughts that run through your mind every day. When turning off these negative thoughts, you can boost the immune system, attract better health, and even attract more positive people and situations into life. But it all starts with thoughts.

Thoughts create exactly what we attract.

One of the most important things you can ever do for your health and well being is meditation. Meditation does not have to be mysterious. Meditation simply means that you stop thinking and are present. As stated above we have on average 60 000 thoughts every single day – but there is a time when these thoughts should not be running. The mind should be used as a tool; we should think when we need to, and when it’s productive – then simply be present when we need to not think.  Because stress and anxiety is based in our thoughts about things and situations (not things or situations themselves) stress and anxiety will wither away.  You can easily learn how to meditate by reading articles, or watching guided videos online.

5. You can literally “change your brain.”When you focus your thoughts on what you desire, the process of building new neural connections begins. This process is known as Neuroplasticity. For instance, if you have the subconscious belief that, “I cannot lose weight” and you start to think over and over and over again, “I am in great shape” you will start to build a new neural connection in the brain. When this happens your eyes start to notice opportunities that if acted upon will bring that new belief into reality.

You Must Have to Attract True Love

Most people think all they need to do is follow their heart to find true love and the rest will follow. But, who you are before you fall in love is important. There are key beliefs you must have to attract true love into your life.

Here are 4 Beliefs Your Must Have to Attract True Love:
 
1. Believe you are worthy of unconditional love
The relationships you create are mirrors of who you are. It’s the law of attraction at work. Therefore, relationships are only as strong as the beliefs you have about yourself. When you believe you are worthy of unconditional love, you will receive it.

Loving yourself fully, even with your imperfections is very important. If you don’t love yourself fully, how can you expect someone else to? When you come to love yourself unconditionally, believe in your own worthiness, and remain open to receive it from others, you will!

2. Believe in yourself
Treat yourself the way you want someone else to treat you. Most of us are harsh on ourselves and our own abilities. Believing in ourselves and being our own best friend attracts a lover that will compliment us, not complete us. Looking for someone to fill the gaps may bring a temporary lover, but not a lasting one. You are whole, exactly as you are. When you believe in yourself and care about your own needs, your lover will as well. You will no longer stand for being treated harshly, and you will no longer attract it either.

Just remember, treat yourself the way you would want your lover to treat you. Think kind thoughts; say kind, loving words; do thoughtful things. If you would get offended if a friend or lover would say it, then don’t say it to yourself!

3. Believe in finding the right partner

Sometimes, people can be bad at knowing what they want (or need) in a relationship. Most of the time, society says to let romance be the guide. Instead of shining the flashlight outward, staggering around blankly looking for “the one”, shine it inward. Look for the qualities you want in another in yourself. If you’ve had past relationships problems, possibly even a cycle of them, find the common denominator. Then, look within you and find the darkness that needs the light.

The cycles we encounter in relationships are less about the other person and more about ourselves. They are guiding us towards a lesson we must go within and learn.  For example, if you are feeling ignored or neglected in a relationship, perhaps you are abandoning yourself at some level. Go within and find out (listening to your intuition) how you can show up more for yourself, too.

When you believe you can find the right partner, and exhibit the same characteristics you seek, you will be closer to true love.

4. Believe that relationships can last

It’s important to believe in the value of a relationship and the potential happiness and life long fulfillment it can bring into your life, regardless of the statistics.

Most of us have witnessed divorce, either within our own family or of relatives or friends. Although these relationships had nothing to do with us, they subconsciously created a validation that relationships don’t last. Perhaps even that divorce is inevitable.

It’s easy to be negative and doubtful about relationships – breakups and dysfunctional marriages are everywhere. But it takes strength and a fresh perspective to believe in happily ever afters again.

Of course, every relationship has it’s difficult times. That’s life. The struggles help us learn and grow. But, to believe in the ability to have a caring, supportive, loving partner that can be there for us unconditionally is important. In fact, it’s vital for us to believe and align ourselves with the truth of that reality to be able to attract it and live it.

That’s the magic of life, to believe in the good and strive to create the best possible life. Inner work will always transform our outer world. Most of the work to have a life long love is done before you ever even meet that person.

By applying these four major belief systems into your life, you will absolutely shift your focus and attraction the lover you desire.

If you’re already in a relationship, these four beliefs can also absolutely help transform it. In fact, by implementing these beliefs you might even fall in love all over again. All in all, healthy, life long relationships are good for each individuals mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing.

If You’re in a Lasting Relationship

If you don’t know what kind of relationship you’re in at the moment, here are some signs that your relationship can turn into one that lasts:

1. Both of You are Comfortable Spending Time ApartAfter a while of being together, you might miss your alone time where you spend a few hours in nature, read your favorite books, or take a yoga class. In the beginning of a relationship, you naturally want to spend as much time with the person as you can since everything about it feels fresh and new, and you absolutely love the person you’re with. Of course, you still feel the same about your guy or girl after a few months, but you might crave some time away from them occasionally to continue your own personal growth.

While your partner should be a huge part of your life, it’s important to make sure they’re not the only part of your life. Research shows that once a relationship becomes stagnant, people start to forget why they’re in the relationship to begin with, and look for a way out so they can feel that initial spark again with someone new. To avoid having this happen, hanging out with friends or spending time alone is important in keeping the spark alive in the relationship and being able to grow evenly during time spent apart.

If you’re able to do that in your relationship without feeling abandoned or feeling like you can’t trust your partner with how he or she spends time apart from you, you are most likely in a real relationship that has serious lasting potential.

2. You Have Similar Values and Moralsrelationship
In the “talking” phase of your relationship, you probably talked to your partner about your hobbies, interests, favorite memories from childhood, and what your family is like. Sharing these things with your partner helps them get to know a little bit about you as a person, and likely set the stage for a second date.

Somewhere down the road, you probably wanted to know them on a deeper level and get an idea of their core values and morals. If both of you have very different interests and hobbies, but connect on a deeper, spiritual level, you will have a higher chance of making a lasting connection than two people who have no core values in common. In other words, the way you choose to live your life should match up with how your partner chooses to live theirs. If both of you have the same outlook on how to handle finances, how to raise children, where to live, have similar spiritual practices, and have the same general outlook on life, you will probably be able to maintain the relationship in the long-term.

The main point to take from this is that hobbies and interests change, while core values and beliefs usually don’t. Having these in common is key to making relationships last, according to a study done by researchers at Michigan State University.

3. You Handle Problems Effectively
In both relationships and life, problems inevitably happen, and knowing how to deal with them and figure out solutions together can strengthen your relationship – and keep it running smoothly. Realizing that you can tackle problems as a team and talk things through to solve the problem makes for a much happier and long-lasting relationship. If both of you have similar problem-solving strategies, and can get through the trials in life just as well as the triumphs, this type of compatibility sets the stage for a serious relationship.

Being able to see things from each other’s point of view and respect one another’s opinion while compromising when you need to makes relationships much easier. Most relationships end because of differences in dealing with financial problems or not being able to communicate with each other, but a sign of lasting relationships is being able to withstand life’s storms as a team.

A couple married for 75 years said that the key to making a relationship work long-term is communication, even if that means arguing in order to solve a problem. Whatever your style of problem-solving may be, if you are your partner can resolve things quickly and easily without too much conflict, chances are you have the ability to make things work in the future. According to Dr. Preston Ni, “Successful couples have the ability to solve problems and let [them] go.”

4. You Can Communicate Openly
In order to make a relationship last, it’s important to be able to talk about emotions, problems, and ideas in an open manner without feeling judged or misunderstood. All strong relationships have three things in common: trust, commitment, and vulnerability, according to psychologist and relationship expert Meredith Hansen. Open communication certainly involves being vulnerable and committed to understanding your partner’s needs, and healthy communication is usually the key ingredient in the recipe for a lasting relationship.

If both of you can keep conversation flowing even after the first few months of the relationship, you will probably be able to keep open communication years down the road.  If you feel you can talk to your partner about any topic, the relationship is likely to last.  Communication is one of the most important elements to a lasting relationship.

Look for Happiness

1. Your Next VacationMost people exude happiness when planning a vacation, and why shouldn't they? Thinking about traveling to a faraway place, seeing new lands, meeting the locals and learning about a new culture would excite anybody – but what happens when you get back? The problem with relying on a future trip for happiness is that eventually, the trip is over, and reality sets back in. You have to get back to work, responsibilities, and the daily grind. Of course, everyone should attempt to travel at some point in their lives, because traveling allows you to get outside your comfort zone and learn about new places and cultures.
However, happy people realize that their contentment shouldn't be vested solely in vacations. They find happiness in their everyday routines and love their lives in such a way that vacation is simply an added bonus to their already rewarding lives.
“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.” ? Seth Jose

2. Material Possessions 

“Collect memories, not things.” – Unknown
Retail therapy is a common place for unhappy people to look for happiness. It’s fast, easily attainable, instantly gratifying, and most importantly, satisfies our ego. Our egos always want more, because they survive off of the acquisition of more stuff. However, the temporary high we get from attaining more material items quickly fades, and we are left with an empty feeling, needing more stuff to feel happy again. This endless cycle keeps many people heading to shopping malls to fill a deeper void in their lives, rather than facing the problem head on. Unhappy people cover up this void with the latest gadgets and clothes, thinking that happiness is found in material gain.
However, happy people know that true gratification is found in lasting pursuits, such as following dreams, building relationships, and contributing to society in a valuable way. Trade a trip to the mall for a trip with your family to your favorite spot in nature; you’ll find more fulfillment in making memories than spending money on things that lose their value in only a few weeks.
 

3. In Other People “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” 

Relationships can bring great happiness – you confide in your significant other and share a life with him or her, bond with your children over bedtime stories and heart-to-heart talks, and look to your friends for advice when you go through a rough patch in life. Relationships are essential to humanity, providing us with companionship, love, and joy. However, depending on others to make you happy means that you place all your worth in how much attention others give you.
Being truly happy means developing a healthy relationship with yourself first, and being able to share that happiness with others. All relationships in life are simply a reflection of your relationship with yourself. Happy people practice self-love and have clear goals and dreams in life. Happy people don’t look for others to complete them, instead view their relationship with others as a way to enhance their lives. Unhappy people look to others as a source of happiness, but when the person leaves, the happiness does too. Find happiness within, and it will never leave.
 

4. In Your Bank Account 

Money is numbers and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy, your search for happiness will never end. It’s easy to get caught up in how much money you have, because living can be expensive. However, you won’t find happiness in your wallet, your paycheck, or your bank account. The wealthiest people are usually some of the unhappiest people, so that proves that happiness does not increase with more income. More money usually means more to worry about, more taxes to pay, more bank accounts to monitor, more insurance to buy, and generally, more of everything. Having more money usually creates less happiness, ironically. Happy people are thankful for what they have, and do not desire anything more. They understand that happiness comes from loving life as is rather than desiring more money. You can’t take money with you when you die, and having more of it now usually means you had to sacrifice precious time to make additional income.
Instead of placing value in having a large bank account, focus on having lots of memories and experiences, and take large doses of laughter each day. Money is fleeting, but memories last forever.
 

5. The Perfect Life Situation 

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain. 

The pursuit of perfection is never-ending, unless you choose to change your idea of flawlessness. If you always seek perfection in life and are never satisfied with how things are, how will you be satisfied with life in the future? What if life never seems perfect in your eyes? The truth is, the idea of perfection is relative. Perfection exists if you wish it to, meaning that any situation can be perceived as perfect. You may never have the “perfect” job, “perfect” house or “perfect” family, but you can change your mind about them and find beauty in the imperfect. Unhappy people wait for perfection before they are happy, but happy people make the best of each situation, finding something positive in the darkest of places.
Life naturally has ups and downs; this rollercoaster makes us better able to appreciate the good by experiencing the bad If you want to be happier, embrace your life and learn to look at it as a story constantly unfolding; you don’t have to know the ending to be happy with the middle and beginning.
 

6. Recognition From Others 

 “What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.” – Confucius
Relying on others to approve our decisions or give us praise for something we’ve accomplished usually leads to disappointment, because people don’t always notice. They might be too busy, forget to reply to your text or email, or even refuse to recognize your accomplishments due to jealousy. Whatever the reason, looking outside yourself for approval often leads to unhappiness, because your ego needs others to validate your achievements constantly. It is never satisfied, and feeds on continual attention from others.
Learning to pat yourself on the back without relying on others to fuel your confidence will teach you self-reliance, as well as show you that the most reliable source of praise comes from within. If others aren’t around to take note of your latest triumph, you always will be. Unhappy people need others to give them recognition, whereas self-actualized, happy people give themselves validation and look at any compliments outside themselves as humbling reminders of what they already know.
 

7. Being Famous 

 “With fame, you know, you can read about yourself, somebody else’s ideas about you, but what’s important is how you feel about yourself – for survival and living day to day with what comes up.” — Marilyn Monroe
Many people get motivated at the chance of getting famous; they think by gaining fame and attention, that their business will grow, they will be more liked, they will have more money, and life will be much more enjoyable. Celebrities glorify fame, making it seems glamorous and appealing for many reasons. People fight to take pictures with them, rush to stores to buy their latest products, and even want to be them. However, you shouldn’t wait to be famous to be happy. What if fame never comes? You should learn to be happy with your friends and family you have now, who love and support you and want to see you happy.

Unhappy people seek fame as a way to feed their ego, looking at others’ opinions as paths to eternal happiness. However, happy people don’t look at fame as a means to an end, but rather, a possible byproduct of living life to the fullest each day and following their hearts.