As a child experiencing happiness is natural and easy. Happiness is your original energy. Playfulness is your true nature. Joy is in your spiritual DNA. But in the years that follow, your personality creates a "Happiness Contract" that is full of learned ideas and false beliefs that limit your daily allowance of joy. Some examples of this conditioned thinking include fears like "Too much happiness is selfish," beliefs like "I must be worthy of happiness," or rules like " I must earn happiness," as well as self-made laws such as "I must sacrifice myself for other people's happiness" or "It's not okay for me to be happy if others are not."
Exercise: The Happiness Contract is a metaphor, but its effects feel very real. The good news is that you can rewrite this contract by being willing to accept happiness more unconditionally in your life. Today's assignment is to try to complete the following sentence in 10 different ways: "One way I limit my own happiness is....." Don't think too much. Free associate. Let your answers flow. Afterwards, examine your responses carefully, looking for any learned rules, law and fears that you can surrender. Happiness is free-there are no conditions.
Caring Today Magazine
Winter 2010
Dr. Robert Holden
http://www.caringtoday.com/
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