The Unedited Truth About Finding Happiness

You see, one day—whether that being in a couple of weeks or a few months or even years—you are going to come to the realization that happiness will never be found within your job. It will never be found in how much money you make or how big your house is or in having the most expensive cars. No, happiness does not stem from lavish, materialistic things, but rather the way your heart feels when it is set alight by the beings who inspire you most.

I think we all get so caught up in today’s society, and we have this belief programmed into us that having these big, materialistic objects will nurse the pain and the worries and the discomfort that are buried deep within. We hold onto the hopes that these things will bring us comfort. That they will somehow fill a void.

I believe we all need reminding about just how precious life truly is. Reaching out and striving for things that you think will fill your body with desire will only leave you feeling more dejected. Sure, being able to buy what you want is nice, and it can put a smile on your face for a certain amount of time, but it cannot make you happy. Having these things will not make you a truly happy person, for true peace and joy is first born within yourself; it is created within your bones. It is made up of the moments that light up your soul and send a deep surge of passion within. True happiness is light and freeing—it cannot be found within the flesh of an object.

I believe we all need reminding about just how beautiful life is. We have been given this wonderful opportunity to plant the seeds of beauty and passion and vulnerability deep within our soul. We have been given the opportunity to go out in search of the music and the stories and the poems with the kind of words captured inside that can change our whole perception of life. As humans, we are enveloped and cradled with the universe’s small, everyday treasures that bring a sense of harmony to our loud and chaotic lives. But for some reason, we struggle to see them. We struggle to see the magic that is hidden beneath the surface. I think the truth is, we all just want to feel free. I think we all just want to wake with a sense of excitement painted deep within our flesh.

You see, one day, you are going to realize that happiness is about appreciating the little things. It is about noticing the beauty that exists within the universe. Happiness is faith, hope, and love. It is the comfort you feel when waking up early enough for a sunrise; it is being able to witness the dancing clouds, the singing birds and skies of pearls. Happiness is walks in nature; it is the small, dainty daisies you come across that are embedded between blades of grass, each one painted ever so delicately with magic. Happiness is when your eyes wash with tears after watching your favorite film on a rainy afternoon. It is the way your hand curls around your mug as you nurse your morning cup of coffee. Happiness is found within the stars in the sky, the knowing that each one has their own story to tell. It is the moonlight and the way that it glistens and pours itself around your room at 3 a.m., filling your body with magic. Happiness is found in the warmth of the sun and the way it drips gold onto your skin. Happiness is the colors in the trees, the flowers, the birds, the little frogs you watch hopping around after rainfall. It is found in the paintings you create the books you read and the way you follow your heart. Happiness is beauty from the inside; it is soul.

And happiness exists within the art of being true to yourself. It is the way you find the beauty embedded within your mistakes and your struggles. It is the way you take your own hand and lead your own self out of bed and into the mornings where the clouds hang heavy. It is the knowing that there are small pockets of joy to be found on even the darkest of days, the knowing that you are the only person who gets to decide on how to fill your heart. Happiness is genuine connection; it is the way you melt with awe from the feeling of your mother’s arms intertwined within yours. Happiness is formed by showing up and being authentic; it is the act of falling asleep at night knowing you are loved, knowing you are safe, knowing you are divinely guided.

Happiness is smiling because you are here, because you are alive.