It's human nature to look at what we don't have, rather than being aware of what we do
Yet this will never bring happiness - there will always be more to want
Relying on anything outside ourselves to make us happy will eventually fail - material possessions will disappear, people we love may pass away or let us down, and our surroundings can change in the blink of an eye
While its certainly far easier to be happy when our basic physical needs are met (shelter, food, safety, companionship), true happiness goes beyond this - it can only ever be found within
I recently listened to an incredibly inspiring podcast with Mo Gawdat - an ex CBO of Google, who tragically lost his young son to illness, and embarked on a quest to find what makes true happiness
His conclusions were profound - happiness is when our experiences equal our expectations of what that experience should be
Travelling around the world I have seen this time and time again - many people who seem truly happy, yet have very little, others who have so much, yet are miserable and never satisfied
The key to this is gratitude - if we are grateful for what we have, try to be present in each moment rather than thinking of what needs to change, and focus on building happiness from within, we can find contentment and true happiness
It's a challenge, and something I still find hard, but is also the core of true wellbeing
You are the only person who can do this - if you are not happy, look within yourself and be brave enough to ask why not, and what can you change
The human brain is an amazing thing, it can be rewired by the way you think, and is constantly changing
You can literally create your own happiness by how you think and view the world
It's not easy, but it's so worth it 💙