The Secret to Happiness
One big secret to happiness is figuring out what our values are and satisfying them. Sounds pretty simple doesn’t it? So why, isn’t everyone skipping around town with smiles on their dials?
Well because lots of us do not actually know what our values are.
What are values anyway?
Values are essentially what we value.
Someone might say they value their diamond jewelry, but diamond jewelry is not a value.
Diamond jewelry may represent the value of ‘looking nice’, or ‘financially successful’ or ‘loved and adored’ or ‘family’. But it is not a value. And it is this confusion that has modern society stumped when it comes to the secret to happiness.
Until we understand what values are and make time to discover which values are important to us, we will continue thinking it is the diamond jewelry that is important and supposed to make us happy. And it never will. How many of us are turning ourselves inside out in the pursuit and acquisition of things that will never make us happy… because they are not aligned with our values?!
Diamond jewelry and the secret to happiness
If one of my highest values is ‘family’ and my Mother died, would that mean bequeathing me her expensive diamond jewelry would make me happy? Wouldn’t I find equal happiness in connecting with her through a special photo or her favourite teacup?
You see, it is not the diamond jewelry in itself that is of value, it is the value of ‘family’ that is important to me. My happiness comes from having my value of ‘family’ satisfied by the sentimental connection with my Mother through her favourite things. And this happiness is irrespective of those things’ value in other contexts, like market or fashion.
How can knowing your values help you find happiness?
Do we really value the big house and fancy car?
Or is one of our highest values ‘security’?
And if ‘security’ is what we are really after here, does going into massive debt to obtain a big house and fancy car necessarily satisfy this value? Does it make us happy?
There are lots of things about taking on a massive debt that can create feelings of insecurity aren’t there? So does the big house and fancy car truly make us happy if ‘security’ is actually what we value and makes us happy?
Interesting isn’t it?
We are certainly interesting creatures. Unfortunately, lots of us do appear to be very lost and disconnected from our values and ourselves at the moment. Consequently lots of us are feeling unhappy.
Never fear!
Discovering your values is a very enjoyable process and something you can take with you into your daily life.
Contact me today to learn about your values and how to create happiness for yourself in this modern life.
x
Get your Complimentary Intro Coaching Session here.
Or call me: 0435 826 096.
[…] Part I of this series discussed our values as part of the secret to happiness. Because if we don’t know what we value, but having our values met makes us happy, then this makes for a recipe for the opposite of happiness doesn’t it? And this is not necessarily un-happiness. It could be boredom, disconnection, lack of self worth, disenchantment, giving up hope, restlessness, conformity, depression. […]
[…] the first two articles of our Secret to Happiness series, we are already discovering that knowing our values and then having them met helps feel happiness. As does stepping into Our Warrior and being the […]
[…] What is important to us? Really – what do we value? […]