The amount of happiness that you have depends on the amount of freedom you have in your heart.
– Thich Nhat Hanh
Who doesn’t want to be happy? Just take a look at any moment of your life, any choice you make. Isn’t your intention to be happy?
By happiness, I don’t necessarily mean the pollyanna, silly-smile-on-your-face kind. What I mean is a deep sense of contentment, the capability of being peaceful and at ease no matter what, an inner knowing that things are just fine.
Somehow true happiness eludes us, and here’s why. Even though we long for it more than anything, we make choices that derail us. We choose stressful behaviors, distorted beliefs through which we view the world, and emotional chaos. And in doing so, we interfere with our potential to be happy.
Happiness is absolutely within your reach. In fact, it closer than close – the essence of you. How to discover happiness? Make a study of your thoughts and emotions. See what makes you unhappy, then plant your feet firmly in the land of happiness. Make these ten wise choices, and the deepest happiness imaginable will be revealed.
1. Take responsibility.
Don’t blame others, turn yourself into a victim, or wait for someone to come and save you. If you want to be happy, take the bull by the horns. Be willing to figure out how you stand in the way of your happiness.
2. Embody enthusiasm.
Be willing, open, courageous, and humble. Admit what isn’t working and be available to the possibility of real inner change. Keep your quest alive.
3. Drop your old baggage.
Nothing kills happiness more quickly than old hurts, resentments, and grudges. If you are spending your precious time stuck in a sad story from the past, realize that you are being affected way more than anyone else. Wrap all of that pain in a vast cocoon of love, then move on with clarity and grace.
4. Become intensely interested in your inner life.
The cause of unhappiness is the playing out of conditioned habits that don’t serve you. Find out what they are and use a laser focus to see how they work. With your new-found awareness, make healthy, life-affirming choices.
5. Question your beliefs.
We unknowingly build our lives around distorted beliefs and expectations. Put every thought under the microscope for examination to see if it is actually true. You will undoubtedly find that you are living through a veil of confusion and limitation. Be willing to step away from these familiar and cherished beliefs and see everything with fresh eyes.
6. Appreciate presence.
Happiness is found here, in the eternal now – not in the past or future. Relax. Let all efforting fall away, and receive everything just as it is. Luxuriate in the wonder of your senses as you go about your daily life.
7. Study your emotions.
Life becomes heavy and burdensome when we are ruled by difficult emotions. The medicine for this emotional pain is interest and attention. Stop telling yourself stories that fuel your emotions. Rather, welcome the direct experience of the feelings and the sensations in your body. Let them be without needing to get rid of them. Over time, they will lose their power over you, and you will be at peace. The clouds will lift, revealing the happiness you have been searching for all along.
8. Live from your heart.
Shed every thought, emotion, and habit that no longer serves you. What is left? Love. Let love permeate your conversations, activities, and the way you treat yourself. In any moment, ask, “What would love do?” then do it. Savor the deliciousness of a full and open heart.
9. Choose freedom over fear.
Fear is another happiness-killer. Know when fear is driving your choices, and choose otherwise. Meet fear with love, then have the courage to act on what you really want.
10. Let happiness pervade your life.
Every moment presents the opportunity to be happy. If you doubt me, just take a look at your own experience. When you break it down to its bare essence in the moment, you will realize that a choice is always possible. Nag or be silent, self-criticize or self-love, sustain stress or take a deep breath, perpetuate a habit or unravel it until you just can’t keep it going anymore.
When we are at peace with our own experience, we can’t help but be happy. Nothing is in the way. We see through the fog of faulty beliefs and dramatic stories, leaving us available to consciously choose happiness – now, and now, and now. It’s right here, can you feel it?
Happiness is no longer a mystery. Make these ten wise choices, and the endless well of happiness will be revealed to you.
Are you happy? What interferes with your happiness? I’d love to hear…
I’m going through a break up, it was serious for me but I don’t think it was for her and she wanted to be friends. I thought the one good thing that could come out of the relationship would be a good friend. Trouble is shes not being a good one and I constantly feel dissapointed. I figured out its becasue I’m still hurting from the rejection, still missing the person she was rather than the friend she has become and who is getting on with her life. And that my imagination was placing negative thoughts in my head and playing games with me. I don’t want to turn this post into a dear agony aunt post only that points 1, 3, 4 & 5 resonated with me. I need to let go, let her get on with her own life and get on with mine. To stop dwelling on the past and imagining what could happen in the future. If the friendship is mean’t to be then great, and I will send her an email every now again asking if she wants to meet up without the expectation that she will do the same. And if she refuses and things fade out…then so be it. At least I would be safe in the knowledge I tried to be a friend.
Thanks for the post.
Hi Simpson,
It sounds like you are getting through it in just the right way. I know it’s painful, but you are being so courageous in looking at yourself and seeing what beliefs and expectations might be causing your suffering. You are not letting yourself be a victim.
I wish you well on your journey…
I’m in a rut. I have been married 14 years, and I am unhappy.
I think I’ve been unhappy for a while, but have been faking it for the sake of my son.
My husband takes care of all the finances, makes all the final decisions and yet we both work full-time. I transfer 95% of my check to our joint account, as this is what he thinks I bneed to do to maintain our finances, as he reminds me, ” remember you had a pay-cut, ” remember your student loans came in… I’m tired, just tired of feeling
“managed” by my husband. How do I get myself back to a ” loving” frame of mind?
I want to but I have a lot of animosity towards him right now. I don’t ow how to get “me” back.
I appreciate your question, Olga, and I don’t have any magic answers for you. What I can say is to begin to take very good care of yourself. Follow what makes you happy in any moment, as best you can, and bring great compassion to yourself. Do what you enjoy, what interests you, what makes you flourish.
Sending love and oceans of support…
I can appreciate all the feel good and beautiful words, but really
at this moment, nothing feels good. Conratulations everyone on feeling so happy about your lives.
Olga. You’re going to be ok. It will all work out in the end. Dig deep into yourself and realise youVe got some great stuff inside you. It’s a phase. You’ll be ok. Enjoy your son. Enjoy the sunshine. Enjoy the good things in life.
Hi Olga,
I mean this in the kindest way possible – if we rely on outer circumstances for our happiness, we are going to be in trouble. C is inviting you to take some control, to enjoy the things that there are in your life to enjoy, to be grateful, even for very small things. Take responsibility for your happiness and consider letting go of being a victim and waiting for your life to start. Tiny steps can make all the difference.
Sending love…
Olga,
I think everyone here has the best intentions with sending you positive energy and all that. The truth of the matter is that you are no longer able to grow inside the context of that current relationship. This would make anyone unhappy. If your relationship doesn’t serve your higher self, it needs to change or go away. I suggest you pick up the book “The Artists Way” and start writing morning pages (it’s kind of like journaling but with your higher self). This may help you decide what action would be best for you and your family.
Maybe you should consider having a trial separation from your partner to try to establish some independence. Or change the game a little bit? Ask questions about finances and such. I would be suspicious that my partner was hiding something if I was not allowed to participate in finances and financial decisions.
Best of luck to you.
First off, you create relationships and YOU teach people how to treat you. It seems your “husband” is more like your father but you are letting him treat you like that. Also, why are you transferring 95% of your check? My husband and I both work but I have 2 incomes as well (2nd part time teaching job) and there’s no way that I would pool all of that money in the general pool. You would be a fool for doing that. It doesn’t matter how much LOVE you have for someone, you have to BE SMART as well.
If you’re tired of feeling MANAGED then stop giving him this power! It’s REALLY that simple. Take a step back and figure out what you want. If you have to write it down on paper, do so. Make a list with a couple of columns for long term and short term. And then start writing….if you need to take a few days away to be alone, I would suggest holing yourself up in a hotel room and doing that. Life is TOO short to give other people control of our lives!
I hope everything works out for you.
~PEACE
Hi Olga, I can appreciate you’re in a painful place at the moment and I feel for you. However, it sounds like you are blaming your husband for how you are feeling. Remember, you have the ability to choose at any given moment. You can choose to leave, choose to stay, choose to feel controlled or choose to take control. And when I say take control – I mean of how you react to your life circumstances. I would suggest you talk to your husband, ask him in what way he needs you to support HIM. Agree to do that, then explain how you would like to be supported. Spend the next 90 days giving him your 100% support in every way. If after that you still feel the same, you have a big decision to make. I wish you luck and hope it works out the way you want it to. Stu x
Gail,
I “stumbled upon” your article on happiness. You did a nice job. As someone who also writes similar self help tips on a blog, I know how much I appreciate feedback. You did a lovely job.
Do you also do program presentations? Are you a therapist?
JoAnne Ceccarelli-Egan LCSW
Thank you for your kind words, JoAnne. Yes, I am a psychologist, and sometimes do presentations. You are welcome to visit my blog, AFlourishingLife.com, to find out more about me.
Hello Simpson, Funny! We have so much in common… I too just got out of a marriage 8 months ago and wanted to stay friends with him, feeling the same feelings as you. After realizing that I was not really over the pain I decided to stop trying so hard and move on with my life, stop communicating with him and just ending it. It’s been 2 weeks now and I have started to open up and let go completely. Happy and healthly is the way to go… once you start putting yourself first and start your new journey it is the best thing for both. No judgement or expectations… just love for your own wellbeing. I wish you all the best and I have a good feeling you are well on your way!
Hi Simpson,
I feel compassion hearing your story but you have to completely let go my dear. Remember! Everything happens for a reason. People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a Reason, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally and spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then without any wrong doing on your part or at a convenient time this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die and sometimes they walk away, Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.
Some people come in your life for a Season because your turn has come to share, grow and learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you things you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real but only for a season.
Lifetime relationships teach you lifetime lessons. Things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, Love the person and , Put what you have learnt to use in all other relationships and areas of life. It is said that Love is blind and Friendship is clairvoyant.
Just thank them for being part of your life whether they were a reason, a season or a lifetime.
God Bless my dear
Lovely, inspiring article, Gail.
I particularly liked this:
“Even though we long for it more than anything, we make choices that derail us. We choose stressful behaviors, distorted beliefs through which we view the world, and emotional chaos. And in doing so, we interfere with our potential to be happy.”
Thanks for reminding me that to a large extent happiness is a choice.
Cheers,
Amyra
You are most welcome, Amyra. We are always choosing, whether we realize it or not. This is the beauty of a conscious life – that we can choose peace and happiness. We don’t have to be a victim to our circumstances, which is very good news.
Thank you for beautifully summing up my path to happiness! I am grateful to regularly create, nurture and enjoy happiness, contentment, joy and serenity in my life.
My life is not perfect, and if I could find many reasons to grump if I wanted, but I don’t want an unhappy, average, stressful life.
Writing my blog has improved my happiness ten-fold, as I delve deeply into my own joy when I sit down to write about finding happiness in work and live. The process of articulating my best life involves all the 10 steps you’ve listed here, as well as introduced me to a vast community of other people seeking a life of happiness, purpose, fulfillment and passion.
The only thing that really inhibits my happiness is my perspective, and I can gently embrace and change my perspective, and my day, at any given moment.
Sometimes I do find myself in a bit of a funk, and sometimes that’s okay. I can accept the ocassional bad mood for what it is without letting it take over my life and my day, and know that I’ll be even more grateful to embrace happiness again tomorrow.
Great article! Thanks!
Chrysta
I love hearing about your beautiful life, Chrysta, and all that it has brought to you! I have the same experience in writing my blog – as I work with each topic, it becomes even more real in my own daily life.
Moods do come, like weather. But they merely obscure the light. May your light shine brightly…
I like that all your points mention things that are internal, and not external. We tend to forget that.
I think a good way to conclude your post is that happiness comes from *understanding* our mind. We must understand that it’s not always right and positive. It’s sometimes lazy, jealous and too ambitious.
If you can’t laugh at yourself, then who can you laugh at? Tiger Woods
Hi Max,
I totally agree that happiness comes from understanding the mind. The more we understand how it works, the less likely we are to get caught up in the unhappiness it can bring us.
So studying the mind is a useful endeavor. And when our research shows laziness, jealousy, and competitiveness, we can choose to not buy into it and stay peaceful and free.
Hi Gail,
I like your 10 wise choices and I use them as well. Dropping baggage is great because it really frees up the energy in the body and mind to allow it to produce goals that are more in alignment with who we are.
I would like to say that I am happy all of the time, but not really. I do believe that I hold the key to my own happiness so that I don’t play the “victim” in my own life.
Hi Justin,
It’s so important that you realize that you hold the key to your happiness. It is not about other people or situations, but in how we relate to all of our experiences. That is where our power lies.
Thanks Gail for this insightful and very well written blog post. I find that sometimes people can get so encompassed in their own ‘story’ that they lost self awareness and wonder why their circle of friends starts shrinking! Everyone has the ability to become more fully aware of how they are behaving in their lives and affecting others, as well as how to deal with situations they are presented with. Attitude is a choice :)
Hi Agata,
Oh, our stories can be so dramatic, and they are all about “me.” The more we can see through them, the more available we are to ourselves and others. If we let go of all our stories, we discover the space for joy, love, and happiness.
Hi Gail,
Your opening sentence summed it up for me. We do ‘things’ to make us Happy. That’s our intent(even if we might not know it at the time).
These are indeed 10 Wise choices. I will share this post so I can make others Happy. Thank you.
be good to yourself
David
Turning ordinary into extraordinary
Hi David,
Yes, we always intend to be happy, but sometimes we are misguided in the ways we choose to get there. But, as you well know, it’s always possible to make a different choice.
i think we mentioned on your blog – fear of the unknown interferes with my happiness. something i’m learning to deal with
thanks for this here :)
Great to see you over here, Noch! Yes, fear. What a teacher it can be!
Gail,
What a wonderful blog and so happy I found it today.
I like to call it cleaning out “Life’s Closet” and getting rid of things that aren’t working anymore. Bringing into your life happy and positive people. Sometimes relationships don’t work out for a reason because there are better things right around the corner. Taking steps to become a happier person is a choice we can make every day.
Yes, Susan. It’s beautiful to realize that happiness is a choice.
I love that analogy Susan! “Cleaning out Life’s Closet”! What a wonderful way to look at it. Gail’s 10 tips for happiness are wonderful but can seem like a real challenge. You really helped me look at it from a different perspective.
Thank you,
Kate
Number 5 really spoke to me:
“Question your beliefs. We unknowingly build our lives around distorted beliefs and expectations. Put every thought under the microscope for examination to see if it is actually true. You will undoubtedly find that you are living through a veil of confusion and limitation. Be willing to step away from these familiar and cherished beliefs and see everything with fresh eyes.”
I think that we so often hold on to what we are told we “should” do, think, believe and feel and it can make us so unhappy. Lately I ask myself what it is that I really want and most times I find that when I let go of all the “shoulds” I ‘m suprised by how different it is from what I always thought I wanted.
Thanks, for a great article/blog!
Nomalanga,
I love that you are inspecting your beliefs and seeing what is actually true for you. “Shoulds” block us from seeing what we really want, as you are discovering. Enjoy your newfound clarity!
I liked #1 the most. We must learn to stop falling victim and grab life by the horns! I’ll second that vote!
There are so many ways that we are able to become truly happy. We just hide behind walls and prevent this from actually happening. Ahh, I could talk about this for hours and hours.
“Keep doing what you’ve always done, and keep getting what you’ve always gotten…”
If we make a change for the better. We won’t regret it.
Thanks for sharing :)
I love your enthusiasm, Brock! Yes, we hide behind walls of victimization, baggage, regret, and fear. It’s wonderful to know that these walls can dissolve, and that happiness is always available.
Great advice, Gail!
I especially liked the very first one. I think accepting responsibility for our own lives, our anger and unhappiness, our failures and missteps, our thoughts and feelings is the first step to becoming happy. To the degree we blame others, life or God, to that degree we block ourselves from ever really becoming truly happy.
Thanks for the insight into living with greater happiness, Gail!
Beautifully said, Ken. It is so amazing that at any moment we can take responsibility – the essential shift that puts us on the road to sane living.
this post is such an Eye opener Gail
once we start seeing the real world instead of imagined restrictions we can do miracles
thank you so much :)
I love this, Farouk – seeing through imagined restrictions to what is real. And when we live in what is real – there are no limitations there. Great to see you!
Hello Gail,
I’m very confused and I just can’t find happiness. I used to go out with a guy for two and a half years, and for a while I was so tired and worried because I knew he was not faithful to me (via e-mail, facebook, whatever). I caught him when we were dating for 6 months and I gave him a chance but then again now (3 weeks ago), and I just got tired. I’m supposed to be relieved that I don’t carry that wait anymore but I just can’t be happy, I can’t move on. Strangely, I miss what we had, and it has been very difficult for me to accept the idea that we won’t be together anymore. Anyway, somehow he blamed me that I never trusted him and I pushed him to do this. It’s all messed up now, I know I have to move on, not to answer his calls or e-mails, I just can’t help it.
I want to be happy, I would appreciate any comments.
Thanks
Eva
Hi Eva,
If this man was not faithful, then he is not the man for you. If you find yourself attracted to people who don’t treat you like the fabulous woman that you are, then you need to move on – and examine within yourself why you aren’t attracted to people who make good partners.
Of course you want to be happy. Focus your attention on yourself. Do everything you can to be the amazing partner that a wonderful man will want to be with. This is taking good care of yourself. Keep a clear head, and make good choices for yourself. The drama will start to fall away, leaving the space for peace and happiness.
I offer you so much love and support for your journey.
Let happiness pervade your life. Our life’s are full of choices and we can choose to be happy or sad in the blink of an eye. I feel we really don’t have anyone to blame, but ourselves for our own happiness. Sure, life is going to throw us a zinger every now and then, but it’s how we take it in and deal with it that’s the choice/difference. I say dig inside and try and take it in stride and know that you have the power within yourself to decide how it is going to affect you. Look for the good of what has just been presented you and you will find your inner piece to help you withstand the bad. Others around you will see your strength and you will inspire them to do the same. That should make you happy – right! :)
Thank you so much for these beautiful words, Pete. With this understand, I imagine that you are happy and can spread happiness to everyone around you.
I am a new blogger that started blogging with the purpose of chaning my life into a happier one. I believe that being a happy person affects all the things in your life – your thoughts, your actions and how people respond to you.
I am 21 and going through a career change. The change made me want to change A LOT more. I started by watching EAT PRAY LOVE, and then went in search of books on the same subject, and now I’m reading blogs that’ll help me on this path of soul-searching.
If you don’t mind, I would like your opinion on the road I have chosen to take to change my life. I’m keeping track of it on my blog “Growing a Cup of Tea”.
Thank you for keeping a blog filled with so much inspiration and I think I might just use you suggestions to further my journey.
Regards, Irene
Hi Irene,
I am happy for you that you are so interested in seeing the truth about everything and discovering the deepest happiness possible.
Reading blogs and books is a great way to start and to keep your interest alive. But you can read forever. What is most important is that you diligently apply what you read in your own experience. There are so many beautiful teachings – more than you ever need. But you need to break through our own resistances and conditioning, which can be very subtle, so you can receive them into the deepest part of your being.
Wishing you a beautiful, amazing, fruitful journey…
Hello, I found this page on Stumbleupon.com and I’m trying to relate it to my story. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Short background: Me (26) and bf (27) have been together for 9 months but we got together shortly after his 8 year relationship (fiancee) cheated on him. He’s come a long way since we first met. All in all, he’s a loyal, trustworthy, honest gentleman. Ive never had a guy that’s treated me so well when we’re together, except….
A few times in our relationship (always when we’ve been drinking) I’ve brought up of “love”. Last night, I asked him if he loved me and he said that he can’t give me that and it kills him to see me unhappy when I asked him. He said I’m the best thing in his life right now and that I’m amazing and have helped him grow but that he has a wall up and said he will never let a girl hurt him like that again. He said I even told him love is patient and always growing and that he’s not saying “never”. I know he truly cares about me but he’s guarding his heart and it saddens me. He’s somebody that doesn’t usually open up like that and he’s an honest, straightforward kind of guy.
Neither of us are trying to break up, we want to be together, but I told him I don’t feel like I have security not knowing what will become of us. If I hadn’t asked him, nobody would have known he doesn’t love me, he shows me so much and helps me to be a better person everyday, but when I asked him, he said “you’re not going to like the answer I give you”. It makes me so sad, and I’m giving myself some more time and have hope we will get to that deeper level. I know most of you will say he’s still broken and to run, but that’s not something I’m considering at this time. I’m just hurt, and I’m still giving this relationship everything or else I wouldn’t bother. He said he wouldn’t be with me if our relationship didn’t mean anything to him. I thought about emotionally trying to detach myself, but I can’t do that if I want this relationship to work. Any advice?
Hi there
I never reply to posts, but in a way I can feel your pain and I thought I could help shed some light. I am a 29 yr old male and I can relate to your bf. Not because I am closed to love, but rather because I used to wear my heart on my sleeve. And as with growing up and experience’s, what makes you mature also as a by product build walls around your heart ( which is natural, but it need not be that way ).
1. Don’t blame him for the way he feels, or for the walls around his heart. It’s natural for everyone to protect themselves
2. Don’t pressurize the situation with any thoughts about what if he doesn’t love me, what if he will never love me? What if he breaks up with me, and I can’t detach from him? Regardless of what happens, you need to let go of the illusion of control. Yes everyone can control a situation to a certain extent. But if you accept that what will be will be, you will feel a little lighter on your feet. Appreciate that love is not something some has to give you, or should give you, or must give you. But although it is something that you would like to receive from the other person don’t crave it. If you give out love, without need to receive it. You will receive it. You will feel happier in yourself just for your new found view
3. Don’t worry about bringing out the conversation. You don’t need to hear the word love. But you will see it in his actions. As guarded as he maybe, he may feel pressurised to love you. This does not help anyone. Hence if you follow point 2, and give love, he will come around in time. And if he does not, at least you know that for your part, you were a loving individual and you expended your love on someone you felt was worth it, and you were happier for it!
4. Look within yourself to become happier. Find your issues, and resolve them. All external issues are derived from inner turmoil. As Gandhi once said ” Don’t change the world, change yourself”. If you change yourself, and your view, then you will see the world through a clearer glass, rather then one steamy and foggy by your very own perception and issues ( not issue issues, but rather parts of you mind that isn’t quite right yet). If you do become a happier person, then it will help him get out of his rut. He will concentrate less on trying to love you, and more on life and his time with you.
5. Love is often found when you not looking for it. That’s because when we not looking for it, we are not looking for acceptance. When we not looking for acceptance we are ourselves. If everyone looking for acceptance was just themselves, they would find love easier. This is because we are all unique and beautiful in our own little way, and when we stop trying to be something we ain’t in order to be accepted, we find that people realise us for our uniqueness, and all of a sudden, everyone is beautiful in their own way. Everyone becomes a ripe fruit of life.
I do hope my words will make a difference to you. Like you, I have my own issues as well. I am not completely happy, and I have a separate path to you and anyone else. I accept this and I will get there. But never think you are alone with the way you feel. There is always someone out there going through the same issue as you.
My advice to you would be. You are never alone and thing will ALWAYS get better. There is no such thing as a perfect relationship. Stop trying to find it. But there is such a thing as love. It needs to be cultivated by both individuals to harness the good points and bad points of the other person which will help you make the relationship as best you can. Always strive for perfection, knowing you may never attain it. But if you strive for it, you continuously moving forward. And who can argue with that?
Lots of love
Shervin
Shervin’s response was right on, Michelle. I would add one more thing, which is to take care of yourself. If you are looking for commitment leading to marriage, and after you’ve done all the things and adopted the perspectives that Shervin suggests, maybe you need to walk away, even though it would be incredibly painful. Stay clear about what you want, and keepn your heart open.
Thanks for your replies! It’s one of the best things I’ve read in awhile and is helping me a lot. He’s been distant since we had that conversation 2 nights ago and told him he’s being that way and it hurts. I realize that I cannot pressure anyone, and he has said he doesnt know how to deal with emotions the right way and doesn’t want to upset me. I don’t know how to talk to him about opening up without him going into his man cave. I even looked up articles on how to get your bf to open up, I’m desperate here! I will not discuss whether he loves me or not anymore to him, but now this communication of him being distant and closing off when I try to talk to him is hurting me as well. I don’t want to hold in all these feelings and resent him, but I also don’t want to pressure or scare him off with my emotions, I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Michelle,
No one can make someone open up. Just be open and loving so he feels safe around you. You have a great opportunity here to learn to deal with your own strong feelings. You want him to change so that you feel better. This is a hook that many of us get caught on. Your job is to take responsibility for yourself, not wait for him to solve your feelings. Take breaths, soothe yourself, recognize that repeating the story over and over is not going to help. Take very good care of yourself with great kindness.
Thank you, Gail! This is one of the most positive advice I have been getting from both you and Shervin. Most people just told me to dump him, but I like how you guys see it in a positive light, to focus on myself and he will come around (hopefully) Thank you guys so much! :)
Hi Shervin,
I wanted to acknowledge directly the wisdom in your response. Thanks so much for sharing so clearly from your own experience.
You and Michelle are very welcome! :)
Hi Michelle
The key is emotional detachment – if you cling to the hope he will eventually love you, you may end up disappointed. If you set your own standards for what you want, set a time limit for how long you’re wlling to remain in a situation that isn’t meeting your needs. It’s all too easy to settle for less than we want when we cling to the hope someone will change.
Hi, thanks for the reply! We just broke up about 22 days ago and I have not once contacted him since. I confronted his feelings again before the breakup and and he said he did not see me long-term. Since then, I ended it. A week later he texted saying he was ashamed of what he did and how much better off I was now and that he hopes one day I could talk to him again. He said he was in a lot of pain and felt like a loser for what he did. I guess he realized that him leading me on really hurt me and I finally left the relationship. I never responded to the e-mail or text and I’m sure he has figured out I have moved on now. Everyday, I grieve because I love him but knowing he doesnt have the same feelings back and didn’t even picture a future with me, I had to pick up what self-respect I had left and walk away.
You should go the site “baggage reclaim”
Thank You So Much!
Im A 19 Year Old who has been trapped inside a prison of unhappiness and you have just given me the keys and made me feel like living again,, again thank you so much!
Much Love, Abdualrahman
Oh, I am celebrating with you, Abdularahman! I’m happy for your happiness.
Gail, I whole-heartedly agree with every point. Beautiful. Thank you for sharing, I love connecting with like-minds.
And to all the other commenters… good on you. This post is great and you are too :D
And you, too. Jason! I love your enthusiasm!
Nice post – but I wonder to what extent the behaviours you describe lead to happiness, as opposed to already being happy tends to lead to those behaviours ?
We can choose to be happy right now, in the present moment – this doesn’t mean we accept things as they are, or that we don’t strive to change things, just that we can choose to reject the stress that results from wanting things to be different.
-STEVE-