Happy Sunday Everyone! This week's article is coming from a conversation I had with my cousin's 23 year old daughter. We were talking right before New Years and I asked her what she was planning on manifesting for 2026. She started listing off the usual things people list like good health, more kindness in the world, etc etc and then she said I just want to be happy.

 

When she said that I said “you do know that is entirely up to you right?” She asked me what I meant by this and I explained to her that happiness can only come from inside her not from outside of her so if you are looking for another person, place or thing to MAKE you happy you will spend your entire life searching for it.

 

I explained to her that those things outside of us can only add to our happiness, but they will not bring or make us happy. Believe it or not happiness is a choice. I choose to be happy regardless of what is going on within my life or the world. I choose to look at the blessings around me rather than the negative.

 

I was one who looked to other people or a new place or location for my happiness and I would always be disappointed, which of course then would make me frustrated, angry and hurt. It wasn't until a friend of mine explained to me that if I am always looking for others for happiness or security I will always be disappointed, it has to come within me. 

 

I asked her to explain for back then this was all foreign to me. So, she explained that happiness, true happiness comes from loving yourself and treating yourself with kindness - something else that was foreign to me.

 

It would be years later that I would discover what she was talking about. In my spiritual work I found myself and it is a version of myself that I have become quite fond of and love unconditionally, even with all my imperfections. I no longer judge my imperfections and I forgive my mistakes and strive to do better.

 

It is in working on my insides that has given me the greatest happiness and peace. I was always blaming everyone else or everything else for my unhappiness and the way my life was which was a bit out of control. I never looked inward, but always focused outside of myself.

 

One thing that showed me this as fact was while in AA and having a really difficult day my sponsor told me to make a gratitude list, which just pissed me off to be honest because I wasn't feeling grateful for anything. So, I decided to show my sponsor and made a misery list instead. I listed everything that I believed was making me miserable and I believed I had no control over any of it that it was everyone else's doing. I couldn't have been more wrong!

 

While going over this three page list (front and back) with my sponsor I looked at her and said well shit it really is on me isn't it. That list showed me that everything on it was something I had control over - like money issues, weight, health, relationships and people. Why were people on my misery list because I couldn't control them and get them to be the way I wanted them to be. That's when I learned not only did I have to accept myself the good, the bad and the ugly I also had to accept everyone else for where they were at in their lives.

 

I discovered that happiness, true and lasting happiness, really is an inside job! So, my question to all of you is have you found true happiness in your life or are you still searching outside of yourself?

 

I see many people, men and women, who always feel that next relationship or job is what is going to make them happy it never does. So, my wish for all of you is that you really take a good look inside and see what is truly blocking you from being happy. Maybe make your own misery list and see what keeps you from happiness and how you can change your life forever.

 

We all deserve to live happily and peacefully! And we all have that ability! What will you choose today?

 

 

 

If you have additional questions about Spiritual Counseling/Guidance and if it is for you, please feel free to contact me via e-mail at spiritualpathwaysnh@gmail.com.

 

Namaste,

 

Pat Laurino

Intuitive Energy Healer/Spiritual Psychic/Medium

 

The above list is only a portion of the providers we are blessed to have. So, if you feel frustrated with traditional medicine maybe try one of the above practitioners, who knows it may just change your life and aren't you worth that?