I woke up this morning with a song in my heart. There is nothing special that I have planned for this day. There is no event or occasion. I feel happy for no reason at all, and it feels wonderful!

So often we feel like there has to be a reason to be happy. Often that reason is out ahead of us. We tell ourselves that we will be happy when we lose weight, get that job, have a certain amount of money, meet that deadline, recover from an illness, etc.

How would your life be different if you could let yourself just be happy anyway. How would it be different if you could be happy on your way to losing weight, getting that job, meeting that deadline, recovering from that illness?

Every moment that you deprive yourself of feeling good is like putting yourself in jail and refusing to set yourself free, even though you have the key in your pocket.

Wouldn’t it be better to be happy while you are losing weight, applying for that job, meeting that deadline, recovering from that illness?

And if you really need a reason to be happy, what can you use right now? Regardless of what else may be going on in your life, some ways to be happy anyway might be:

• The sun will rise.
• You are receiving these words.
• Someone somewhere loves you. (Probably a lot of someones.)
• You are alive this moment of this day.
• You have some form of nourishment available to you.
• You have clothes for your body.
• You have a body that is working well-enough for you to understand these words.
• There is an abundance of air to breathe.
• No matter what your state of wellness, your body is knocking itself out on your behalf.
• Another season is on its way that will bring new things to appreciate.
• You have at least one thing that you’re really good at and enjoy to do.
• You have a lifetime of experiences that are unique to you.
• You see the world as no one else does, and your perspective is valuable.
• Even if it seems the same, this day is different from all the others that have come before.
• Streams and rivers are flowing, and ocean tides are rising and falling.
• Chances are you have an abundance of clean water to drink.
• The Earth is spinning and producing resources to support life.
• There is an abundance of beauty in the world if you will just look for it.
• The sun will set and will rise again tomorrow.

How can you add to this list? What is in your life right now that you can use as a reason to be happy? Are there people, places, or animals that you appreciate? What about your body is working for you? What do you find beautiful? Where are you abundant?

How happy are you willing to let yourself feel right now? How can you let go of whatever reason is holding you back?

Together we can do it!

Photo by Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net