Happiness Directions: Step Nine: Choose Peace

Inner peace begins the moment you choose not to allow another person or event to control your emotions.
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I love the above quote and it definitely speaks to step nine on our road to happiness.  If you want to be happy...you first need to feel peace.  To get to peace you must take full responsibility for how you feel.

Your happiness is not determined by the events that surround you or the things that happen to you.  Blaming them will only keep you stuck on this side of peace. 

Your happiness is not determined by the behaviour of other people. No one is responsible for how you feel but you.  We often hear others or ourselves saying, "He made me mad!"  "She hurt my feelings!"  "He is making me miserable!" etc etc...don't we? We tend to think, in our egoic states, that other people are responsible for making us happy.  We look to "special" others to take on this role and fulfill our lives for us, becoming totally miserable and unhappy when they fail to do so, don't we?

Truth is...no one outside yourself is responsible for your feelings but you.  These "special" people were not put on the earth to "fix" you, "fill your empty spaces", make you whole and complete.  If they do not have the power to make you feel good...then they do not have the power to make you feel bad.  Unless of course, you let them. That is your choice, your doing and your responsibility.

Even if the world around you crumbles to pieces you cannot blame your unhappiness on life circumstance...on the random events that cause suffering.  These things do not have the power to cause suffering in you...only your choice of thought and reaction to them has the power to cause suffering.  Once again...it is all up to you.

So instead of choosing to feel miserable over the behaviours of other people or life being life...take responsibility for what you allow in that wonderful mind of yours.  Choose peace rather than "this"...this , whatever it is, that does not serve you.

Seek to be peaceful in the midst of chaos, negative judgment, or the nasty behaviours of others. See that peace as your responsibility and no one or nothing else's. 

Responsibility is also your power.  You have the power to make your life everything you want it to be when you take full responsibility for your feelings.

Choose peace and the door to happiness is sure to open for you.

All is well in my world.