After flicking through many personal theories and ideas about happiness, I decided to use my own knowledge and experience, as well as my clinical skills, to help people learn about how to stay sane in today’s world!
I think it is helpful to discuss the term ‘happiness’. A common statement I hear in my clinic is “I am just not happy with my life”. On the surface this statement might seem simplistic, and something that sums up how an individual is feeling, however, this statement is packed with loads of information, and is only as clear as mud. Unpacking this statement is the first step to understanding someone and their current state.
Firstly I might pose the question – “how do you define happiness”?
Secondly, I would ask – “what is stopping you from being happy”?
These two basic questions are important to ask yourself if you are feeling “unhappy with your life”.
We can’t achieve something that does not exist. How can you “become happy” if you cannot picture what this is? If you are unable to say what this is, then maybe you should start to consider instead how you would like your life to look, from a day-to-day perspective, and then further, to a global perspective.
If you are feeling stuck, which is the most typical case, then you need to firstly identify what the barriers are which are preventing you from moving forwards, or outwards. Once you have identified these barriers, then you are ready to make a real change in your life.
The next step is to tackle these barriers, and here is where it becomes less philosophical and more practical!
