Did you know that happiness is an inside out job? Let me explain what I mean. While you may feel happy when something good or exciting happens such as when you get a raise, you purchase a new car, your child wins an award, or you find the perfect picture for your wall, have you noticed that the happiness is temporary? It doesn't last forever. The reason for this is because the happiness was associated with something external, something outside of ourselves, something we can't control.
Aristotle said, "Happiness depends upon ourselves." I agree. Happiness comes from the inside. It's generated by how we choose to feel regardless of the circumstances. This is what I refer to as inside out happiness. What's magical about inside out happiness is that you can feel it anytime, anyplace and for as long as you want. There is no shelf life on inside out happiness.
I enjoy listening to Jody Moore's Better Than Happy podcast. In one of her recent podcasts, she talked about having fun vs making something fun. It's common to ask someone, "Did you have fun?" when the person gets back from an activity, a vacation, a day at school, etc. While the question is well-intended, Jody points out in her podcast that this question implies that the activity or whatever we were doing was responsible for us having fun. If we didn't have fun then there must have been something wrong with the activity. But, do you see the issue? We've given our power away to the activity, the circumstance. It's what I would call outside focused. Jody proposes that a more empowering question to ask is, "Did I make it fun?" Now, the fun I have (or don't have) is completely up to me. I am no longer giving away my power. This is inside out focused.
My invitation for this next month is to regularly check in with yourself and assess where you are in the moment and see if you are inside out focused, meaning you are choosing how you feel and not depending on your circumstances to determine that, or if you are outside focused and reacting to what's around you. Life is always what we make of it. Have an amazing month!
Celebrating YOU!
Dream Body Coach Lorie
I enjoy listening to Jody Moore's Better Than Happy podcast. In one of her recent podcasts, she talked about having fun vs making something fun. It's common to ask someone, "Did you have fun?" when the person gets back from an activity, a vacation, a day at school, etc. While the question is well-intended, Jody points out in her podcast that this question implies that the activity or whatever we were doing was responsible for us having fun. If we didn't have fun then there must have been something wrong with the activity. But, do you see the issue? We've given our power away to the activity, the circumstance. It's what I would call outside focused. Jody proposes that a more empowering question to ask is, "Did I make it fun?" Now, the fun I have (or don't have) is completely up to me. I am no longer giving away my power. This is inside out focused.
My invitation for this next month is to regularly check in with yourself and assess where you are in the moment and see if you are inside out focused, meaning you are choosing how you feel and not depending on your circumstances to determine that, or if you are outside focused and reacting to what's around you. Life is always what we make of it. Have an amazing month!
Celebrating YOU!
Dream Body Coach Lorie
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