The Secret of Lasting Happiness

Happiness is – fill in the blank.

I don’t know what happiness is to you, but I’m do know what it’s not. Thanks to learning this the hard way and chasing my way through life trying to catch up with it. Fortunately, I’m realizing very abruptly that happiness is none of the things I thought it would be and yet all of the things it needs to be. 

Today on the podcast I interview the queen bee of happiness, through walking her own battle to find it, Alli Worthington. She is a three-time author, speaker, podcaster and mentor and recently released her latest book, The Year of Living Happy. 

On the show I’ll be asking Alli about her research into happiness, if it’s an individualized approach, how we can move on from past hurts and step into happiness. I also ask her about a question I’ve long pondered, and that’ the difference between joy and happiness. 

Grab the book {it doesn’t disappoint} and listen to the podcast. 

Listen on iTunes | Listen on Stitcher | Listen on Google Play | Review the Podcast

Happiness is

I started the blog with happiness is {fill in the blank}. One thing that happiness isn’t is the worldview of what happiness should be. I think we could agree after further pursuing what the world told us would make us happy, like more money in our bank account, a better job, a different number on the scale, the “American Dream” we learned that those are temporary. 

They pacify for a while but never truly satisfy. 

But there are two foundations that ALL happiness is built on and in these two things come lasting happiness – even through the hills and the valleys. These two things are contentment and connection. 

Inside the podcast, Alli breaks down these two components as we dig into what happiness means to you. 

quiet contentment

Quiet contentment is the first link to ultimate happiness. Now that sound partially like a cop-out. Shouldn’t we be looking for the best experiences available and striving for the highest level of happiness?

Of course, there are moments in life where you’ll be standing on the mountain-top of happiness, but much of life is quite the opposite. It’s hard, trying and some days just mundane. But quiet contentment puts to rest the thought that happiness lives only on mountain-top moments and can also be found in the daily grind. The mundane.

Quiet contentment stems from recognizing the gift of the present. To be more aware of what you have in your own life than competing in the games of comparison. From being thankful and practicing daily gratitude, not just to create another list but to change your heart to the awareness of all the things you do have to be grateful for.

put it into practice

For me this has looked like questioning my thoughts, holding them captive and adjusting them based on reality. That means you hold the thoughts of worry and anxiety captive and make them stand on trial. Do they have any grounds for controlling your happiness?

Is looking at that Instagram feed building you up in positive ways?

Does her weight loss success story mean you won’t reach yours?

Remember your thoughts often stem from your subconscious which creates its own version of reality. The first step in quiet contentment is to challenge your thoughts and hold them up to reality until you’re able to recognize all that you already have.

Connection

There is more and more research coming out about the power of connection, and it stands true in our happiness. That saying, “you are like the five closest people to you,” isn’t just a saying but a researched reality. Who you spend the most time with is often who shapes your version of reality.

If they are negative, belittling to themselves or others or unmotivated, maybe you need to transition those relationships into something more positive.

On the other extreme, maybe you have a thousand friends on Facebook, but you don’t have many friends that you live life with. Which are two totally different things – maybe we need to redefine “friend?”

I know it’s easy to stay in on a Friday night rather than grab dinner or skip the coffee date because your work schedule is packed, but there is something divine that happens around a table. The connection that is experienced is the foundation of happiness.

put it into practice

There is a big stigma when it comes to relational health. I used to fall under the category of it’s either great, or I don’t pursue it. But there’s something I learned through studying health; you are only as “healthy as your most unhealthy relationship.” You could take that a step farther and say you’re only as “happy as your most unhealthy relationship.”

The big action point is probably pretty clear – invest in relationships, in connection. It doesn’t just have to be with your friends and family, but this pulls into account the necessity for spiritual connection as well.

Invest the time in Prayer, schedule a date night with your spouse or sign up for counseling – even if you’re not on the brinks. Start a dinner party with friends, host a card club, invite a friend to join you on your morning walk.

Take the time and invest in connection. It is a key foundation and like mentioned; you’re only as happy and healthy as your relationships. We are made for connection. 

make happy who you are

Funny when I type this all out I realize happiness doesn’t fall upon you or just come to you, but it’s who you are. It’s the daily choice to find contentment, to connect with others and invest in changing your reality to one of joy.

Don’t wait for it and stop chasing it.

Happiness is there, waiting, ready for you to grasp it and live it.

Choose to live happily – it is a thing – in fact, it’s the only way.

resources

All of the resources and links we talked about in today’s show are linked below. Also, don’t forget to check out Alli Worthington and all that she offers on her blog, Instagram and Facebook.

• The Year of Living Happy by Alli Worthington
• The Five Year Journal
• The Best Organic Bone Broth
• How To Create a Healthy Morning Routine
• The Enneagram: From a Christian Perspective
• Rheti Enneagram Test

subscribe to the show

Don’t forget to subscribe to Simple Roots Radio to make sure you are notified as soon as another podcast comes out. Sometimes I can be a little slow to inform you, and this ensures that you get the show right on your phone to listen anytime you want!

If you have some feedback to share or an exciting shout out on your journey, leave a note in the comments below. I would love to know your reactions to the show and how you’re taking steps in owning your own story.

Finally, if you enjoyed the show, I’d love it if you’d take a minute to leave a rating and review. Through these reviews, we can work to make the show better and align more closely with the information you need to live your best life. It only takes a minute and makes a world of difference in the presence of this show.

Missed an episode? Click here to listen to all of the episodes of Simple Roots