“To be happy to me; is to suffer less. If we were not capable of transforming our pain within ourselves, happiness would not exist at all.” Thich Nhat Hanh

So many individuals look for happiness outside of themselves, western culture teaches our children that money and stability are what makes you truly happy, we set our generations up for heartache and despair; we educate false information and create emotional disasters. Life is in a constant flux, and materialistic possessions can come and go, life itself comes and goes, the real place where genuine happiness lies; is within ourselves. 

In life we all will suffer loss, even the wealthiest individuals suffer deeply, all the money in their accounts cannot fill the deep whole of sorrow that they feel, and most times they don’t even know what it is that’s robbing them of their happiness.  We are all plagued with emotions and habits that create negative thoughts and feelings. Emotions like jealousy, anger, hate even delusion can cause us not only to suffer but cause tremendous pain for those whom surround us. Sometimes those who are the angriest and full of hate, are the ones who are suffering the deepest, their hearts are crying out to the world for someone to show compassion, they are desperate for hope, love and unconditional listening. Unfortunately because their nature and behaviors are so volatile, most times we shy away and avoid individuals like this, which in turn causes more pain all together. It is so much easier for us to walk away from those who get on our nerves or belief values vary from ours, how much more rewarding would it be to truly look deep inside the individual and learn to understand them, learn to listen without judgment, and just be there for them. 

Every soul in this world is deserving of happiness, and is blessed with what they need to find this true happiness within themselves. We cannot travel this road to happiness alone, it is the encouragement and compassion of others that allows us to get back up after each fall and to fight and continue on our journey through life. Some of my friends find it fascinating that I am able to pick up on emotions and read individuals, I can feel there pain, joy, fear, even sometimes hear their thoughts, but this is no rare gift, I have found when you open your heart to someone with a genuine intention to help them your perception opens up entirely and it becomes second nature to feel what is in their hearts. Everyone in life is going through something right now, at this very moment, take some time to listen and be there for one another, the time it takes to help someone else in a small way is not wasted when it improves someone else’s well-being. Opening your heart to another builds character, loyalty, deepens our values, and generates compassion; all those elements that create a wealthy individual inside and out.