5 BELIEFS TO STEAL FROM THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD

I found this post here tonight, and thought it was worth copying down so that I have a copy for future reference:

On the whole, Australians aren’t the happiest bunch. Despite living in a country that, for all intents and purposes, could be considered far above average in the climate/welfare/employment/resource stakes, many of us are struck down regularly with low mood. Experts in the field think that one of the reasons for our lack of happiness is the belief that certain things have to change before we can permit ourselves to feel full of joy. It’s the old story of “when I get a new job/lose weight/gain weight/earn more/cut my hair I’ll finally be happy.” Unfortunately, happiness doesn’t work that way.
Fortunately we can harness what happy people know and employ it in our own lives. Here are five things happy people truly believe that most of us rarely consider.

1. Happiness doesn’t always feel the way we expect it to – Feeling happy is very different to being happy. Being happy is having the knowledge that life is full of goodness that can strike at any time.
2. You are who you spend time with – Happy people tend to radiate happiness. It’s contagious and worth celebrating. Surrounding yourself with people who enjoy life and know what content is will end up helping lift your own happiness levels.
3. You don’t have to love your job – Whether you love or loathe your job (or how you choose to spend your days), the chances are good that you’ll need to keep doing it in some capacity if it provides you with necessary income. That doesn’t have to mean, however, that what you actually love doing isn’t a possibility. Making time for your creative passions is crucial. Happy people believe in carving out time to do the work that satisfies them.
4. Banish the fear – Fear is one of the biggest barriers to happiness. If you’re waiting around for the fear to vamoose, you’ll never be completely happy or at peace. Heard the saying ‘Feel the fear and do it anyway’? Let that be your mantra.
5. You don’t need permission – Waiting for permission to be happy is a recipe for long-term discontent. Happy people know they have the power to shape their reality. They give it a go and are happy with their best efforts. Follow their lead.