July 15, 2021

How to Stop Faking our Way through Happiness.

 

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For the longest time ever, I believed that I was not happy.

Being happy had been a struggle.

I had learned to fake my way through happiness. Happiness always meant the next stop, next milestone, a target I had to meet.

Come to think of it, I didn’t even realize how unaware I was of my own consciousness—walking through life in a zombie mode, trying to achieve what social conditioning dictated.

Education, college degree, marriage, career, kids—everything became a milestone I had to achieve or I could not be happy. My happiness was determined by what others perceived of me, how successful I was in the outer world.

The logical question that came with time was: if I am missing any of the achievements, how can I be happy?

The “life” inside me wanted to thrive, to reclaim my power, and soar into the highest realms.

I believe there is an immeasurable power inside all of us—waiting for us to reclaim our destiny with our own two hands. All we have to do is  tap into that potential to edit our true story.

Each one of us has a story to tell. It is a story of our struggle, love, and triumph.

In this story, we fought our nemesis and battled our demons to reclaim our life—we learned to smile again, and laugh, and found the courage to fall in love again—with ourself.

This is the story of our journey for happiness and joy—finding our way through the maze of sadness, trauma, and recovery.

So, tell me, will you give the power to edit your story to anyone else in this whole universe? Does anyone know your story better than you?

Owning up to that power and becoming aware of my own untapped potential was the biggest favor I did to myself. It helped me understand the fears I had and the courage I had to overcome them.

I am imploring you today to own your story.

Are you ready to edit your story for happiness?

Just remember: you are the narrator and editor of your story. You have to edit your story with prudence, clarity, and confidence. The power to cut, copy, and delete lies within you.

How to edit your story for happiness:

Backdrop

Circumstances, characters, and other external forces play a backdrop. Whatever backdrop the universe has decided to give you, accept it gracefully. In this given backdrop, how you narrate your story is the determining factor.

The Victim Card

We are creatures of habit. We tend to fall into an abyss where seeking sympathy and becoming a victim is a routine.  We get comfortable with our sob stories to the extent that people around us expect only this. It seems this is the only way to exist. But here’s the catch—it’s not.

You might cook up another story in your mind, especially looking at others. Oh! They are so talented, or beautiful, or simply plain lucky. Maybe you are right, maybe not. The fact is you do not know their stories. So do not fall for it.

The power to transform your story lies within you. Life gives you a chance for a do-over every day. Are you ready to take that chance?

Struggle for Freedom

When you are the protagonist of your story, you carve out your freedom.

We feel that our freedom is curtailed because of our obligations to family, jobs, and relationships. The responsibility to get that freedom back lies within us. No one will give it to us on a platter.

The Entangled Duo

It goes without saying that freedom comes with responsibility. Responsibility of your actions, thoughts, and reactions.

The kind of choices you make and decisions you take are your story.

It’s important to understand what you can and cannot change. You cannot control external situations and people. The only thing truly in your control is your own reaction to everything that happens around you.

Like it is said—know what you can change, for others there’s wine.

Only when we realize our own capacity to choose for ourselves, our stories will change. When we take our happiness into our own hands, we become truly happy.

You have to become the master of the universe inside you. Your story outside will start changing spontaneously.

Be Objective

Now, this story, as compelling as it may seem from your point of view, will definitely lack some perspective.

To change your story, you have to look at it with complete objectivism.

What role am I playing in the current backdrop?

What am I contributing to?

The more honest you are with yourself, the more power you will have to change your story.

For example, ask yourself:

“When did you start depending on others even for the smallest ray of happiness?”

“Are you not enough for yourself?”

“Why are you carrying resentments of the past in your heart?”

Moral Stance

Any story will force you to take a moral stance, even subconsciously. Understanding your story means that there is no right or wrong. There is no good or bad. Taking a moral stance and keeping a high pedestal will only create more helplessness and dejection in you.

Let Go

To change your story, you have to let go of your impressions of people around you, justifications that you give to yourself, and explanations you give to others.

Let Go!

Of the things that happened in the past, of people who have hurt you, and situations beyond your control.

Focus on the present, today, now.

Believe that you are special and your story matters.

Believe that you are unique and your story is significant.

Believe that you have the power, and your story will change.

~

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