There once was a small child playing in a wooded area. She had no toys, but she did have an inspired mind and the raw materials around her. She picked up a stick from the ground and ran toward the nearest tree.

Just before running into it, she stopped and gasped in amazement. Looking up with her head slightly tilted to the left, she wondered where the tree began and where it ended. From her vantage point, it seemed to go on and on forever. And she couldn’t quite comprehend how interconnected and vital that tree was to her and the world around her, but she knew there was something magical about it.

While waving the stick in her hand, she began wildly encircling the outer boundaries of the tree. She imagined warding off invaders who were trying to take over her kingdom. But, she managed to protect herself and her tree.

Time was never a concern as she played. But, when the sun began to set, her mother called her inside for dinner. She hugged the tree and thanked it for playing with her. Then she dropped her sword-stick at the base of the tree and ran inside.

Her mom was cooking pasta and she was so excited – pasta was her favorite. She looked up at her mother with love and said, “thank you mama.” But, her mom’s eyes were red and swollen from crying. Her mother was plagued with fear and depression because she worried daily about how she would continue to provide for her children.

And, even though her mom was unhappy and it made her sad to see her mama cry, she was still happy.

Happiness was her natural state of being. It floated around her everywhere, as obvious as stars in a clear night’s sky.

But, as she grew into an adult, her outlook on life changed. She questioned everything about her childhood and her life and shifted into a state of despair.

“Why is life so unfair?” She wondered.

Happiness to her was now nothing more than a mirage existing somewhere in the far off distance that quickly dilutes and disappears as the distance grows shorter.

“Who am I?” She unsettlingly questioned.

That little girl who once defended a kingdom with nothing more than a stick had somehow slipped away like her fantasies.

She was replaced with an uncertain and fearful woman who was so caught up in her day-to-day life and living to survive that she stopped searching for more.

The undertow of her day-to-day life was in control, pulling her further and further from the surface. And because she had been without oxygen for so long, she forgot she needed it to live.

After all, she had bills, responsibilities, and a job. She grew complacent with life- never asking for or seeking more. She just settled for what was rather than what could be.

But, deep inside, she longed for the lost child within her and the happiness that was once unquestionably part of who she was.

She is you.

She is me.

She is All of us.

Somewhere along the way we bury part or even all of the child within us. Perhaps it because of a job. Or a relationship. Or a series of disappointing or traumatic life events. But, whatever the reason, you can still find your inner child and harvest happiness back into fruition.

Become Happy Again

So where do you begin?

1. Recognize what’s missing.

When you acknowledge your happiness is missing, this in itself is the first step to help you become happy again. Only through recognition will you develop the desire to shift your life into a new direction and take inspired action.

2. Quiet your mind.

Happiness is the harvest of a quiet mind, so relax, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. There are so many thoughts racing through your mind relentlessly, all vying for your attention. Quiet those thoughts. Especially the fear based ones and just breathe.

3. Ritualize happiness.

Happiness is a choice, not a coincidence. So invite happiness in by making it part of your daily routine. Without happiness, there can be no true success because if you do not enjoy and love what you are creating and the life you are living, then you are not living as your true self. An easy way ritualize happiness is to start each day repeating affirmations such as:

“I choose happiness.”

“I choose love.”

“I choose success.”

“I choose right action.”

And then follow those affirmations up with gratitude. List three things you are grateful for every morning when you wake up. After 30 days this will become a regular part of your day, and you will begin to notice a shift in your perspective.

4. Let your imagination run wild.

If you were still a child imagining your life today, what would it look like? Who would you be? Where would you be? What would you be doing? Allow your inner child to catapult you into another reality, a reality where you are worry free, living without fear and embracing happiness.

Now, grab a journal and write down the answers to your questions. Don’t worry about making sense of your thoughts yet, just focus on writing.

Now, how do you feel? Curious? Inspired? Creative?

5. Color your life. 

Make your life beautiful and vibrant. Colors exist to be used and enjoyed, so let go of the black-and-white redundancy and embrace life’s pigmentations. Create something, write something, go somewhere new. And smile because there is nothing more beautiful or vibrant than your smile.

6. Create good energy.

You are made up of pure energy. We all are. Energy is what keeps the world as we know it in motion and existence. That’s why it’s so important to create and put out good energy because what you put out is ultimately what comes back to you. So the more love, kindness, and happiness you exude, the more love, kindness and happiness you will bring into your life.

7. Believe in yourself again.

As Henry David Thoreau famously said, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve always imagined.” You are powerful. Tremendously so. But, your inner kingdom cannot be ruled without a ruler. Believe in yourself, and believe in your purpose even if you do not yet understand what it is or how it will come to be. Once you start to believe, you will unleash your personal power, and that power is a force to be reckoned with.

Above all remember, this is a moment in time. And, a moment is all it takes to change everything. To charge your thoughts, change yourself, change your world and perhaps even the entire world.

So choose to be the real you and choose to be happy again.

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