H A P P Y

I don't know about you, but I know that I am the happiest when 
I behave the way I believe. That is; I am my authentic self. 

For each of us it means something different because we are all 
created unique from one another. Isn't that just the greatest 
to know that you are specially designed to be the best you? 

Nobody else can replicate you!

Sometimes I find our American pop culture demands we 
assimilate, so we can all look and act the same. Yet, in some 
weird oxymoronic manner, the very same culture boasts about 
the advantages of being an individual; in other words, "Be 
your bad 'ole self". I think that is why so many of us walk
around feeling inferior, not good enough and lack self 
confidence. These mixed up messages are really messing us up 
because they totally contradict each other.

I don't have a TV, and I am consciously choosey about what I 
listen to on the radio or internet, and what I read on the 
internet. The operative word here is "consciously". I tell 
myself, I don't need to know about the latest craze or compare 
myself to a model who has an incredibly fast metabolism. Doing 
so is a real downer, and that is not me. Theodore Roosevelt 
said, "Comparison is the Thief of Joy". And boy was he ever 
right! 

To be my authentic self means that I accept myself, the good 
and the bad, with humility. I take the focus away from my 
exterior features and 'looks', and delve myself into interests 
which help define who I am. When I do what I love, I am happy. 

When I focus on comparing myself to others, I rob myself of 
happiness. Building self confidence brings about happiness in 
my life, and being happy makes me feel confident AND it
reflects self confidence to the people around me; the 
happiness and self confidence work in tandem. People respond 
positively to confidence because they enjoy being around 
upbeat and happy people.

So take your happy self and do something you absolutely love; 
then enjoy the laughter and share your inner beauty with 
someone.