Happiness and Peace of Mind

"Be happy with what you've got while you pursue what you want."
        -Jim Rohn


As I sat down today, reflecting and pondering what I should share, my mind was filled with thoughts on the subjects of happiness and peace of mind.

In his address on Happiness as an Art, Jim Rohn makes the illustrative comparison between happiness and a beautiful tapestry. Both must be carefully woven. Both take a concentrated effort. Most importantly, both are created by the individual.

You control your happiness just as you control your breathing. If you are not thinking about breathing, it just happens automatically. Our subconscious takes over. When you concentrate on deep, controlled breathing, however, you teach your body the habit, and it becomes your natural breathing rhythm. The same is true for happiness. Right now, you may have a tendency to be impatient, quick to anger, or feel depressed. With concentrated effort, you can change that.

Take the time to focus on yourself. Think of your good qualities, expound on them. Write them down in a journal. Write down what makes you happy. Truly happy. Now make a plan to control your happiness.

Happiness is a daily effort, but it gets easier. Just as I mentioned before, we can train our bodies to breathe deeper, more calmly, and more efficiently by making a daily habit of practicing that skill. So too, is the practice of finding happiness. Regardless of our circumstances, we can master our mind and thoughts.

You cannot simply hope to be happy, you plan for it. You practice it, study it, and master it.

James Allen said "Self-control is strength, right thought is mastery, calmness is power."

That leads me to peace of mind. To me, peace of mind means having complete confidence that my life is where it needs to be. I am heading in the right direction. I am growing. I am learning. I am happy, healthy, and prosperous. Prosperity does not just mean "become a millionaire", you can be truly happy without being wealthy, and you can be prosperous in many ways.

A serene life is more precious than gold. Just like gold is the result of time, heat, and pressure, serenity is the result of a long focused effort, especially through trying times. After all, if we only have inner peace when life is easy, then we are not in control of our minds, but letting the world dictate or thoughts.

Be the master of your mind and be Happy, Healthy, Prosperous.