If you listen to mainstream media or watch reality T.V.  then the message that you're being fed is that happiness comes from more stuff. Bigger house, fancier car and clothes, expensive jewelry and shoes, exotic vacations, more money and a better job will get you the life of your dreams. We all have bought into that lie, the lie that tells us that happiness is a reaching out instead of a melting in. We over stimulate, over medicate and over work to drown out how we truly feel and what we truly want to do in order to achieve a status that is supposed to make us feel fulfilled. We can't push outward to feel better we need to work on the inside.

For years I struggled with depression, thinking more money would take this pain away, thinking more money would make life so much better. When I started doing the work on myself I got real honest and discovered that more money would actually make my life worse at that point. Because I hadn't learned to control my finances and my emotions and that I would be flat broke as soon as I got that magic number because my internal life was so out of control.

That's where so many are now, they think that if they obtain a thing that their life will fall into place, but in reality happiness is an inside job. Happiness is not something that you can get from an external factor. The external things are meant to enhance the happiness that you already have within you and not be the determining factor of your happiness.  When you are truly happy with yourself then no matter what the outside looks like you will be able to maintain a space of zen inside.

So what are my tips to creating internal happiness? Well I'll give you my top 5 and I'm sure you can find more on the internet, so here goes.

1. My Top 3. Each night before bed, I write 3 things I'm grateful for, 3 things I'm proud of myself for and 3 things or people I forgive. Doing this helps me to recall the great parts of my day and release the not so great parts. It tell the universe that I want more good stuff, it also tell my subconscious that I appreciate my strengths so that they can get stronger.
2. Hour of Power. First thing in the morning I meditate then work out, it sets my mind in the direction I need to go in to succeed.
3. Miracle Moment. Set a timer on your cell phone everyday at noon I stop and think about the miracles that have happened in my day thus far and express my gratitude for them.
4. Me Time. Once a month I take an ENTIRE day to me, no kids, no husband no cooking no responsibilities to no one other than myself.
5. Give Back. I mentor and volunteer of my time, money and talents to various causes. Giving back often fuels your soul to see the true abundance in your life.

Find and do what fuels you and that will be the key to your internal happiness. Notice and acknowledge the good in your life each day it creates a force to bring in more good stuff. Remember what you focus on grows, so if you're focusing on the icky stuff you'll get more of it. Be gentle with yourself in this process, if you've been feeding and allowing yourself to be fed crap for decades then it's going to take longer than a week to get yourself together.

Peace Love & Recovery,