It all sounds so simple...

Yet it always makes sense.

Whilst at work today my associate came across this article. It felt like a perfect balance piece after my day yesterday. It's funny though, how happiness seems to become easily equated to a simple construction. It's like when you see statements like 'I can make you thin' e.t.c. It always seems so simple at first, yet when you break it down one will realise the bigger scale of things.

I suppose the hardest part of achieving happiness is looking at your current lifestyle, and perhaps realising what may exist in your life, as constant and familiar as that has been so far, may not necessarily be the most positive part in creating your ideal world. It will always be the case that once that job, person...anything really, is out of your life, the damage, as such, or stress it may have caused for you will become more apparent. At the time when the decision is made, it will always seem so scary. Though afterwards comes the reward-life is better without the unnecessary stress.

The whole process may feel like an even bigger stress in itself. Of course you could carry on with the way your life is now, it's easier of course... But wouldn't you rather be able to say you have consciously made an effort to improve your lifestyle, and have given it a go, instead of constantly wondering what the other side may be like?

It always frustrates me when someone may express how they are unhappy with something in their life, of course we are all guilty of the following-we pick faults and expect them to be easily fixable...a quick fix is always the ideal. Problems of course can differ from health, to work, to relationships-there will always be a solution, unfortunately an 'over the counter' solution just isn't the way it's going to be. Perhaps if every individual sat down and really pin pointed where their emotion of annoyance is coming from, we would all save a lot of time, cost, circles and corners of exploring a solution.

I tend to ask myself:

• Why-why is this issue in your life?

• Where does it come from? work, people (a personal relationship/family/friends)

• Who? who is involved, who does it affect.

and then ask yourself...

Is it all really worth it?

Are you wasting more time holding onto the issue itself, instead of letting it go. And yes that does mean whether you want to end a relationship, to quit your job... changing and taking a step away from what you already know is not a bad thing, there are ways of stepping outside your comfort box...and ways to step back in your safe zone too. They will be combined.

I suppose I am saying that happiness does not always come down to having more in your life, it sometimes is a case of having less (I could go into a discussion about whether it is regarded as less, where as it could seem more in life, in terms of value-but lets not digress too much and exhaust things...)

To be content feels amazing. There is very little chase, little competition, little struggle to satisfy. I write all of this before I make my way to meet two of the greatest people in my life for lunch. I look forward to hearing their stories and just being within their company. Seeing them smile makes me smile, a lot. I love to learn and just being around other people only enhances my happiness and appreciation for what I have got going on in my life. (though there is nothing wrong for not feeling completely 100% with what exists in ones life too) I know very well that if they were not in my life I would be sad in a sense. But it's the importance in recognising the warmth and appreciation now for these people while they are around in my lifestyle. 

I suppose I feel the urge to express the above because at the moment I have a small number of really familiar people in my life due to moving to a new city, a new life, new experiences-and all towards achieving a found sort of zen. Of course I could focus my mind on the fact there are little friends around, though I feel so lucky and...do I really need to say more? There just is no need to explain sometimes.

When searching for happiness, always take time to familiarise yourself with what you do have. If you are feeling down, your current lifestyle may not always seem as bad as you think it is...

Avoid too much self pressure. Life is too short.