Lessons from Lisa!

by Lisa Cypers Kamen

When we decide to open our eyes and be fully awake, we realize that much of the suffering is a self-created illusion. If we can trick ourselves into being the victim of our own misery, then surely we can just as easily volunteer for self-determined joy. ~Lisa Cypers Kamen

Here are a few of the best lessons I can happily share:

1. Life is tough:

Agreed, life is filled with trials and tribulations. To say one is happy all the time is a lie. To know happiness is available at any time is a truth. Happiness will not wait for us. Happiness will not invite us to the party. We must invite ourselves to say, "yes", diving deeply and happily into life...all of it...the ups, downs, twists and turns of our miraculous journey.

Happiness exists in tandem with adversity. Happiness waits in all the nooks and crannies to be embraced and celebrated ...ready at any moment. True and lasting joy emanates from thoughts, feelings, perceptions, actions and choices supported by positive self-esteem that oozes worthiness.

2. Nobody can tell us what makes us happy:

Society often dictates what we falsely believe creates happiness. Financial success, material wealth, finding the right partner and being part of the right group/club are some examples of external momentary happiness and amusement. Funny how mass media marketing attempts to tell and sell us that happiness can be found in a particular brand of meal, soda, car, etc...if they could only drive home the point of where the joy truly resides, most of us would have more money and less aggravation in pursuing it.

3. Getting hung up on what others do and say really impedes our happiness:

Consider turning the screws of your mind a quarter of an inch to change your perspective on a few vital things. Then head out into the world keeping your eyes open looking for the joy in the ordinary moments. Holy cow! You will find some...everywhere you look. It is inescapable. It is not always easy to see. Firstly, set aside judgment. Secondly, avoid expectation. Lastly, completely relinquish any anger for the things you cannot control locally and globally. After all that said and done; voila there it is, happiness...like a beacon of light waiting to be embraced.

4. Creating happiness requires a little focus:

I may not always be happy. Yet, I strive with every step I take and every move I make to approach life with positive intention, grace and an abundance of humor. I am not reliant on the outcome; just the moment. Being in the moment gives me full control of my thoughts, feelings and actions...hence my happiness. Yesterday is history, tomorrow a dream but the present is a precious gift.

This is not a 100% foolproof system. It is a goal to which I wholeheartedly aspire. Life is filled with bad days, sadness and adversity. Living now as if it were the only certain commodity creates mindful awareness and a deeper understanding of my power (both positive and negative).

5. Happiness is an inside job:

Happiness resides inside on a deeply soulful level. It cannot be bought, sold or traded. It is a choice we each must make consciously or unconsciously when we awaken each day. How are we going to be with our self? How are we going to show up in the world?

Lisa is life coach, teacher, designer, author, speaker and the documentary filmmaker of H-Factor...Where Is Your Heart?.