Loving Yourself Into Happiness by Luci McMonagle
Have you ever considered that self-love and happiness were intimately connected? I know that it was not something I ever thought about. I use to think that happiness was something that I’d eventually find that was something outside of me. It seemed so elusive and in my younger years, I would set milestones for goals and always told myself when I achieve this or I have that, then happiness will be mine forever. It seems a bit silly now that I look back especially since every time I met each goal or accomplishment, I would be happy for a moment in time. It was a glimpse. It certainly kept me going on to the next goal and the next thing I wanted to achieve, but it was exhausting after 20 years.
Happiness seemed to fad like memories into the nothingness where it seemed to come from. My futile attempts to capture it and hold onto it was frustrating and I became an overachiever. This created a host of health issues and total burn out. I was chasing after something that I wasn’t even sure where it would. During my recover I began to approach life in a totally different manner. I began to learn the art of loving myself.
At first I would say affirmations and prayers and this seemed to help ease the lack of happiness I was experience and my health began to return.
Secondly, I started taking my meditation practice more seriously and doubled the time I spend to meditate. Plus I learned different techniques that work well for me.
Third, I began to look at requests from others in the manner of if my being of service in this manner would be for the best good of all concerned, myself included. If I could say yes without undue stress or over extending myself, then I would say yes. Many times I found myself having to say no because there was not an equal balance.
Fourth, I started a self-care routine and began to nurture my body in addition to my mind. My self-care routine started with therapeutic massages and I slowly expanded into facials and now I have added kundalini yoga.
As I began to love and nurture myself, I started to realize that I felt happier and lighter. This really has me so excited because now I wake up happy and I feel energized to start my day.
Through these practices my happiness continues to grow on a daily bases and I consciously choose to be happy now. I feel like my true essence has started to flow through me and my inner being now radiates.
Today, I invite you to light a candle and choose to learn ways that make you feel happiness.