How do you React? You are Responsible for your own happiness
Life is hard and it can certainly bring you down. People, places, and situations hurt you. Perhaps you lost a job, perhaps your parent wasn’t there for you when you were younger. Perhaps your partner left you for someone else. Perhaps you couldn’t make payments on your rent or buy food. Perhaps your “friends” bullied you at school or online. Bad things always happen. There is always going to be difficult things that happen in life. That is the ups and downs of life.
So, when things don’t go your way…How do you REACT?
Do you fall prey to anger and resentment? How do you stay happy when difficult things happen and/or people hurt you?
Try these 7 steps to keep your happiness in tough times:
Affirm that life is difficult. Open your eyes to the truth. There is always going to be difficult things in life that will try and bring you down and ruin you.
Stop blaming. You can’t blame your unhappiness on someone or something that happened to you. They may have hurt you but blaming isn’t going to help you improve your situation. It will just leave you angry.
Don’t be a victim. Blaming leads to victimhood. According to Psychology Today, “A victim is a person who has been hurt or taken advantage of.” Although it is certain that something difficult did happen to you, defining yourself as a “victim” means you are surrendering to the situation and making yourself seen as. This is an easy place to fall prey to but it will not make things better. Something challenging did happen to you but you are not a victim to the situation. You are not helpless. You are not powerless. You can change things.
Find your inner confidence. Even if your self-esteem is wavering and you feel down, it is essential to find that inner confidence and inner light. No matter how small that light feels, it is there if we look hard enough. It’s at these pivotal times that we need to look ourselves in the mirror and say “No. What you do to me, what happened to me will not ruin me. It will not take away my joy. I am a good person. I am loved. I have a lot to give to this world. I am strong.” I have had to do this numerous time myself throughout my life. I was grateful to have a mom help me find my inner confidence when I didn’t have any. My mom believed in me. I am here to tell you just like my mom that I believe in you too. You can find your own inner light.
Rise Up. You can’t let these situations ruin you. You have to get up off the floor and move forward. I have had to many times in my life. You can do it too. You can’t let the situations that left you broken ruin your life. You can’t let the bully, the absent father, or whatever else hurt you win. You have a new future ahead of you.
You are responsible. No matter what or who harmed or hurt you…you are responsible for how you react to what happened. You are responsible for getting up. You are responsible for your own happiness.
Make a plan for change. Talk to someone. Make a plan for happiness.
