REVERSE-ENGINEER YOUR HAPPINESS

The kind of religious culture I grew up in taught me that pursuing my own happiness was wrong.

Not just wrong. Sinful!

I had to pursue God’s happiness and then he would make me happy. Maybe.

Once I left that toxic religion, I had to learn to make myself happy.

The first question I had to answer (and it took me years to do it), was: “What do I want?”

Once I figured out what I wanted…

once I figured out what would make me happy…

then I started making it happen.

What makes me happy? I will make it happen!

As a result, I’m happy.

Is everything perfect? Well… there are things I’m still working on.

But I know what it is, and I don’t feel guilty creating a life of happiness for myself and helping those I love do the same.

Yesterday morning Lisa and I were having our coffee. I said, “I’m happy!” She said, “Me too!”

It took determination and work to get here.

But we did it. Guilt-free too!

And you can too. Figure out what happiness is for you, then start building it.