three simple tips to happiness #iwassupposedtobehappy

How happy are you?  No really, if you stop and think about it, ARE you truly happy?  Everyone isn’t perfect and happy. There is a book that addresses the theme of ‘Perfection and Happiness’ and how the two do not go hand in hand. This story is for every woman who has bought into the lies of advertising and commercialization – that you have to be perfect to be happy. Because guess what you don’t have to be!!

Lisa Henriksson understands that perfection tendencies and the far-reaching effects of advertising telling us “we must have the perfect life to be happy” is universal theme, and she is traveling the globe, speaking and sharing her story to say, no more!

Henriksson openly shares her real-life story, one where she seemed to have everything put together but really, physical pain, stress and sadness were everyday companions.

I wanted to share with you her book, “I was supposed to be happy.”  This story is for those ‘who have everything you need and ever wanted and still lie awake at night thinking something is missing.’

I invite you to take a look at her book and encourage you to read it.  It is very eye opening and a great read.  I Was Supposed to Be Happy is the story of woman’s journey battling with common themes many women face: self-judgment, living within the confines of the “approval trap” and living out of other people’s expectations.

Lisa was kind of enough to personally put together her 3 favorite tips to happiness!

1)    Acknowledge yourself!  Many people look for someone else to acknowledge them when they’re not acknowledging themselves – My opinion is that you can not receive adoration until you learn to adore yourself! Actively choose to see what’s beautiful and amazing about you and your life instead of what’s missing and what’s wrong. When you wake up, see the sunlight streaming through the window, not the wallpaper that needs fixing. When the familiar voice in your head says there’s something wrong with you or that you’re not good enough, just say to yourself, Stop! Then tell yourself, I’m brilliant, just the way I am.

2)    Add things and people that make you happy! Cut out what’s not working in your life and add things and people that make you happy. Sign up for that yoga class you never seem to have time for. Set aside a night to have dinner with friends who make you smile. Paint your office. Go out dancing. Book that trip that you always wanted to go on. Shake things up! Most of us keep creating our lives more or less within our comfort zone. Repeating slightly different versions of past choices feels familiar and makes us able to predict the outcome. Even though this often means that we recreate undesirable and destructive situations, we imagine that stepping out of our comfort zone to try something new must be worse. What could you choose if you knew that was a lie?

3)    Stop judging and embrace this idea: “What if there’s nothing wrong with me?”  Instead of judging your body because you think it’s not thin enough or toned enough to fit media-set expectations, try expressing your gratitude for its wisdom and its beauty, for all it’s done for you, for how it’s carried you through your life and still does. If you find yourself wanting to switch career paths—to leave that perfect job for a startup or one that pays less but will make you happier—instead of judging yourself for being foolish, you might congratulate yourself for daring to choose something different, something you feel is right.

What do you think of this book? Would this be something you would pick up and read? Are these tips something you can put into effect?  They seem pretty easy right!