Welcome to Ask Away!
Each week I choose one of your questions and do my best to offer guidance and support to help you along your journey. I also encourage everyone who is reading this to offer their words of wisdom as well by leaving a comment at the end. Please click here to learn more about this feature.
And now for the question, which was submitted by Chuck Bluestein:
How does one find supreme happiness and perfect peace in this lifetime?
Wow. This is a big one – perhaps the biggest of all.
I personally believe that true happiness and inner peace are found when we fully connect with our soul.
And while I am definitely still practicing and working toward finding supreme happiness in my own life (aren’t we all?), I can share some of my recommendations to help each of us get there.
- Re-create happiness. Think back to times in your life when you were the happiest – and I’m talking about deep happiness – true contentment. Not a fleeting kind that fills you up for a second and then quickly passes you by. Jot down some things about your life at that time. Why were you so happy? What was going right in your life? What were you doing differently then than you are doing now? By jotting down the specifics about your life at this time, you will be able to begin to find patterns and be able to re-create this in your life today.
- Go within daily. Taking time each day to slow down, go within, and remember this part of us that is already enlightened – is already a piece of the universe – is already filled with love energy is a great path toward happiness. There are so many ways to go within – and you will know which way feels the best for you. Journaling, meditating, reading, etc. are all ways to get to our center. You’ll begin to feel more connected to this deep part of your being each time you take time to go there.
- Begin a daily gratitude practice. Each day, take time to list all of the wonderful events, people, moments in your life that you appreciate.
- Create a happy list. You’ll be surprised at how these little gifts of joy quickly add up to create a full life of happiness and contentment. If you fill all of your space with reminders of joy, you will retrain your brain to be positive and peaceful.
- Pay attention to your thoughts. Be conscious about replacing negative ones with positive ones.
- Surround yourself with loving souls. Making sure that you have a support system consisting of loved ones who are also on this path toward remembering their highest wisdom makes continuing on your own path so much easier.
- Love yourself. Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Know that you are doing the best you can. If you fall down, gently pick yourself back up and start again.
- Visualize your ideal life. Really take time to feel it – get detailed about what it’s like to live this life. By doing this, you will attract it to you.
- Live your truth. Walk the walk. Keep your word – to yourself and others. Stand tall in your beliefs and what you know to be true.
Finding happiness and inner peace is a lifelong journey for each of us. Remember that we are all radiating love and joy from the center of our souls. And in this lifetime, we are given the gift of remembering that this universal love is always within us. When we take the time to slow down and reconnect with this part of ourselves – the part that was always there – our true happiness and inner peace begin to rise to the surface. And the more we reconnect with this piece within us, the happier and more at peace we will be.
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For everyone who is reading, please offer your words of wisdom as well! Let’s all chime in and offer guidance and support for this brave soul who opened themselves up by asking for help!
I would love to answer your question in next’s week’s post!
Please email your question to: info@soulfuljournals.com. (Please put “Ask Away” in the subject line.)
If your question is chosen for that Friday’s feature, I will let you know if I need any additional information. It’s completely up to you if you would like your question to be anonymous or public. If you would like to keep it anonymous, please make sure to leave out any identifying details.
What a great – and big! – question! Very wise and practical tips, Jodi! It is so true that happiness and peace emanate from within. They aren’t things to seek out externally. I find it helping to think of “awakening” inner joy and peace, instead of “finding” them, as if they’re elusive. “Awakening” reminds me of the fact that joy and peace – and love – are givens. We simply have picked up experiences in our lives that made us forget these natural states of being. Also, it helps to detach happiness and peace from the conditions we believe we must have in order to be happy and peaceful, whether it’s a job, a relationship, or some other human experience. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t want that job, or relationship or whatever, because it’s our birthright to enjoy these human experiences. The key is to not fall into the trap that unless we have these things, we can’t be happy or peaceful. To everyone’s inner joy and peace – and love, Alice
Thanks for your great comments, Alice! You always have such wise words to share! Awakening is a wonderful way to think of it – rather than finding happiness. Well said! Happiness definitely comes from within – and when we take the time to slow down and remember our true essence, the magic begins. Love to you!
What a wonderful post, filled with such wisdom, Jodi. You and Alice really covered my own thoughts and feelings about this one. Happiness and peace are really what so many of us are wanting to experience in life. It truly is found within. So often, we forget who we really are – Divine Love. When we go within and commune with the wisdom of our soul, we begin to uncover that inner truth that reveals who we have always been. Peace then becomes our natural state of being. It’s a daily practice for me – an ongoing journey. Your wonderful suggestions above are part of my practice. Thank you for sharing here every day. Your posts speak right to my soul.
Love,
Alia
Thanks so much, Alia. When we open up to our soul and the divine – we are simply remembering who we always have been. I love that you say when we do this peace becomes our natural state of being. So true. And it is an ongoing journey – so glad we’re here to support each other. Love to you.
Wonderful post! As I age, I strive to be CONTENT. I’m past the stage where I felt I needed someone or something or a lot more money to make me happy. And it kind of goes back to the gratitude theme. When I am grateful for what I HAVE, instead of focusing on what I don’t have, I am able to be content. Little bursts of happiness are like sprinkles on my contented cup of ice cream.
I love that, LeAnn – little bursts of happiness are like sprinkles on my contented cup of ice cream. Beautifully said! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
That IS a big question and I love your answers, Jodi. I think they are a place to start and I would say further that there is no ONE pat answer for all of us. Each of us has to find what is perfect peace and happiness *to us*.
For me, being in my flow and working with others to get in theirs brings me boundless joy. We all have to start where we are and work from there. As I say often, lessons and gifts are everywhere if we choose to see them that way. Even in the suckiest moments, there are pockets of perfection.
Thanks for sharing these suggestions. 🙂
Thanks so much for chiming in here, Lisa! Such a good point that we are each unique and need to find our own path toward happiness. It’s so true that lessons and gifts are all around us – we just need to open up to receiving them. Hugs to you!
This certainly is a huge question. For me it’s about self. For a huge part of our lives we spend a lot of time trying to please others, wondering what reception our actions will receive, seeking approval, trying to live up to others ideals. This can really hamper one’s attempts to be happy and content. Seek your own approval, live up to you own ideals. True friends will accept all you have to offer and not judge. Others who do not approve you need to leave behind. Accept yourself for who you are and be happy with yourself. I don’t mean plummet through life not giving a damn about anyone else, obviously you must not have intent to hurt, but be true to yourself above all others.
I could blab on but I have found happiness within me, not coming from external pressures.
Di 🙂
X
Hi Di,
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment! I completely agree with you that self love is crucial for lasting happiness. It’s really the core of everything. And getting to the heart of ourselves (our soul) is how we connect to this love. Beautifully said!
Hi Jodi,
This post is so good and makes one reflect a lot. Finding happiness again is something that I have had to work real hard at since the death of my twin sister in 2008. Life sometimes is like a roller coaster ride but I am a fighter. I meditate, write, blog, pray, read my Bible and do a lot of things to find inner peace. The minute I find my mind heading in a direction that is going to make me sad I quickly try to switch my thoughts. I can tell you that it is not the easiest thing to do when you become a twinless twin. I find repeating my favourite Psalm 23 very helpful also. I hear that Yoga is very good. I have tried a few exercises but I intend to practise it in a more serious way.Thanks for this wonderful post. I know my twin would want me to be happy so I will fight on. Take care and have a good weekend.
Hi Judy,
My heart truly hurts for you and all that you’ve been through with losing your sister. I know that you think about her and miss her and love her every single day. And yet you are such a positive person, which is so inspiring to me. You are helping so many people who are going through loss as well and need someone to turn to. Hugs to you.
Jodi
What a wonderful post! Love your blog and message! It is so important to speak and act positively. I went through a rough patch in my life and found it difficult to speak to myself in such ways. Almost as if I wasn’t worthy. It is so important to hold gratitude and trust that we all deserve the best!
Hi Amanda,
Thanks so much for your sweet words! I’m so glad you’re here! 🙂 You’re so right in that positive self talk is essential for lasting happiness. I know this firsthand as well. But we are each worthy of being loved – by ourselves and others. So glad you have shared here!