Is There a Secret to Happiness?
It might have taken most of my life, but I finally understand the true secret to happiness and successful relationships. When I look back on my life I see a crystal-clear reflection that empowers me to draw an exciting blueprint of my future. To learn more, watch my interviews.
I believe there is an innate passion within us all to not just survive, but to thrive. The moments in life are the essence of that passion. Regardless of what life throws at me, that spirit will never be extinguished. It may sleep within me, waiting patiently for a spark to re-ignite smoldering embers into a passionate flame again––but when it does, the glow of its radiance will warm my heart and touch the lives of those around me.
Neil Armstrong once said:
“I believe every human has a finite number of heartbeats. I don’t intend to waste any of mine.”
We’ve all been given a beautiful gift, but it’s limited in duration. I wasted far too much time, lost in the pages of my story, and I let life just happen to me. Like Rip Van Winkle, I slept through years, waking to find much of my life behind me––but the lesson was finally learned. If I wait until some specific event occurs to find happiness, or let fear prevent me from pursuing my dreams, I will ultimately find myself at the end of the ride, surrounded only by broken memories and regret.
Believe in Yourself
Now, my life isn’t centered on relationships, except the one I neglected for most of my life—the relationship with myself. The worst abandonment of all was giving up on me. I became what I believed, powerless and adrift. Like a ship without a destination, I wandered aimlessly through life with no goal or direction. It was easy to get lost when I had no idea where I was headed. Convinced all I needed to be happy was my knight in shining armor, I waited for someone else to rescue me and make me happy.
The truth is if a thousand perfect knights were all lined up declaring their undying love and devotion to me, my heart would not have been healed. The encouragement, healing, and strength had to come from within. As Glinda The Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz told Dorothy, “You don’t need help any longer. You’ve always had the power my dear, you just had to learn to use it on yourself.” For details, check out my memoir, Wingless Butterfly––Healing the Broken Child Within.