You came into this
world happy. You were the very essence of joy itself. You laughed and cried
and skipped and danced. You felt what you felt, liked what you liked, and
wanted what you wanted. You were free to be exactly who you were-and your
nature was happiness.
Over time, of course, you learned to be afraid to feel what
you felt, to like what you liked, and want what you wanted. You were taught it
wasn't okay to cry or to sing too loudly, you were annoying when you were
hungry an hour before dinner, and someone told you not to run because you would
surely hurt yourself.
Slowly you pulled in
your joy, you pushed down your tears, and you denied your anger. You
learned to hide your light under a bushel, and become what others expected you
to be. You learned to look outside of yourself to know what to do, how to act,
and what to want or need. You had to. As a child you had no choice but to
conform to the living dream around you, and do your best to get along in it.
Some people went to sleep forever in that dream, others
ended up rebelling, and others are awakening from the slumber and asking, "Who
or what am I, really?" If you are reading this column, I am going to assume you
are one of the waking up ones-- and that is exciting. More and more humans are
awakening to the somewhat shocking reality they have lost touch with the truth
of the unique self they once knew themselves to be.
It is never too late
to reclaim our birthright to be happy. I'm not talking about the happiness
that comes from the outside-- like from a new iPhone, the boss's compliment, or
an exciting new relationship. I am speaking of the happiness that is our
default state, the happiness we came into life with and were forced to
abandons.
How can we return to
that state of default happiness? What steps can we take, what do we need to
know or remember?
Let's start by defining this happiness of which I speak. I
am using the word to define an experience we have when we are free of the
thoughts and beliefs that hold us back and limit us in our lives. Imagine
yourself as a child, running through life, waving your arms in joy... or lying in
the grass laughing with a friend. You weren't happy about anything, you were simply happiness itself, pouring through
you.
This happiness is
ours when we accept ourselves exactly as we are, and exactly as we are not.
Every self-judgment, every self-rejection limits that acceptance and your
happiness. The more you judge yourself, the less of this real happiness you
will experience. The more you accept
yourself, the more you will begin to accept the world around you as it is. When you aren't in conflict or
resistance to the unfolding of this great mysterious universe as it is, you
will return to your birthright of happiness.
Of course, as a human, you will experience emotional and
physical pain sometimes. If you don't victimize yourself by thinking it's
unfair, and accept it as it is without resistance, you can stay in happiness
while you experience the pain. I hope that makes sense to you.
We could say this true happiness is the
absence of suffering. You suffer when you think you are a victim. Judging
creates victimization. Victims are powerless. Powerlessness creates fear. You
can't be happy and in fear at the same time. So, to return to your birthright
happiness, your task is to stop judging yourself and the universe. After all,
the universe was perfect before you got here, and it will be perfect after you
leave-so why not accept it the way it is now!? It's called "Love."
When you accept yourself and the universe just the way you
and it are, you will experience a happiness no event or person can take away.
I would be honored to support you on your journey to your birthright happiness if that is your path.
IN love, Allan
