Stop trying to buy happiness

So life has been feeling a bit dull lately... you know those days when you just feel uninspired, nothing is very interesting, nothing makes your heart beat faster except people cutting you off on the road, and that’s not because of happiness, it’s more of an indignation that allows us to express some type of emotion. Well that’s how I'm feeling today...

So I thought I'd write about it, and use it in the next growth and balance tip about creating happiness:

"Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions. "

Easier said than done! Sometimes when we're feeling a bit down, there’s nothing better than a bit of retail therapy, a nice unhealthy bit of junk food, maybe some road rage, “vegging” out in front of the TV... but are these the best options? I think maybe I should try to have some good old fashioned fun instead, maybe play some cards, do some writing, read a good book (no drama as it = worse depression).

 

 If you look back on life, the best memories we have is of loving, laughing and doing things we enjoy. Let’s get a hobby find out who we are and what we enjoy again! As woman we are sometimes so busy trying to fix everything, create this perfect exterior, that we forget we are special too. That we have needs too. Maybe the reason we aren't feeling all that happy is because we aren't being very nice to ourselves? We have such double standards for ourselves and others. When a friend pours their heart on our shoulders, we tell them to start doing more for themselves, that they shouldn't try so hard, that they are fantastic and can achieve anything. But yet when we are down, we give up on ourselves. I think we need to start being our own best friend and start giving ourselves good advice!

The next part of the happiness advice was:

"Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness.
– If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.  Read Stumbling on Happiness . "

I was reading the second book of the "Men are from Mars" genre and it said that we expect men to make us happy all the time. Yet we are in reality only able to get 10% of happiness from them. Which means that even though we focus 90 % of our energy on them, we can never be completely satisfied with just them.

What brings us woman happiness is caring for others, socializing with friends, getting a pedicure (or taking out that dusty foot spa and giving one to ourselves), taking a good book and going out for a quite read in the garden.

This means that we should be 90% happy / content with the above, and then our men will provide the last 10% - topping it off for us.

How often do we do things for ourselves though? It’s easier to spend a couple of hundred rand on groceries for the house, but what about replacing that old eyeliner that is so small you pinch it between your index and thumb to use?
(Embarrassed face - my kind of thing.....) haha

So let’s try and look to ourselves for happiness and inspiration. Let’s become our own best friend.  Let’s create our own happiness.