Most of us postpone happiness. We say to ourselves, “I’ll be happy when this happens,” or “I’ll be happy if that happens.” For example, “I’ll be happy if I pass the test…get an A in the course…get the job…get a raise,” or “I’ll be happy when I graduate…get married…have kids…get divorced,” etc.
The only way I know of to be assured of being happy in the future is to be happy now. You might say, “But there are many things in my life that I am not happy about now, and I want to see them changed.” This is probably true for all of us and it probably always will be so. But our tendency is to focus on minor annoyances and to overlook the positives in our lives.
For example, when do we really appreciate health? When we’re sick, of course. When we’re sick, health is everything. Money is nothing compared to health at times when we are really hurting. But when we’re healthy, do we really think about it? Do we really enjoy it? Most people rarely do. But if we become aware of this, we can receive joy just by appreciating what we already have.
So take a little time each day to appreciate your good health. When you are feeling good, be aware of it. Say to yourself, “I feel good, I feel healthy, and this is the way I’m going to continue to feel. In fact, I’ll feel even better in the future.” By doing this, you’ll enjoy that present moment more completely. Plus, you are programming yourself for more good health in the future. You are establishing a point of reference for good health and this will help you feel the same way in the future.
Once you do this, you will find this kind of thinking applies not just to your health, but to other parts of your life as well. You will find you will be happier about your job, your relationships, your finances, and more!
Why not make up your mind to be happy right now? Why not enjoy each moment, each event, each person? Be thankful for what you have and who you are each day. This will focus your thoughts on abundance and make it much easier for you to experience happiness and prosperity in the future.