The most important thing for everyone to understand is that happiness occurs within. There are outside factors that can distract you, along with deceiving images thrown at you daily of what happiness looks like. The truth is the power to find joy is already there but we tend to limit our thinking on how much control we have to change our own lives. Here are a few steps to take to find true bliss.

1. Get to know yourself. Are you the person you know yourself to be or are you who someone else wants or expects you to be? By focusing so much on other’s needs, you tend to lose you. Sometimes it is hard for people to love themselves because they are unsure of who they are. You may work for someone else, shop for someone else, cook for someone else, or care for someone else. Allow yourself to have some “me time” to find things you like about yourself. Knowing who you are will lead to loving who you are.

2. Discover your passion. Now that you know who you are, figure out what you love to do. Make a list of things that make you feel good while you do it. Maybe it is something you can quit your day job for or maybe it will be recreational. The idea is to include activities that can lead you to knowing what happiness is. Maybe you know your passion and it is your lifelong dream to pursue it. As long as your dream does not hurt anyone, go for it. Just be careful of the naysayers who throw balls of negativity at you. Never let anyone discourage you from living out your dreams.

3. Happiness involves gratitude. Being thankful means truly appreciating what you have now instead of putting too much focus on what you do not have. Look around you and acknowledge the little and big things you have been blessed with. It may be something as simple as finding a dollar on the ground or as big as your life being spared from an illness. Show gratitude for the love you receive and for your ability to love others. Know there is always something to be grateful for. It may be clouded by your setbacks, but there is always something there that is good. Say thank you.

4. Keep things simple. This may be hard for the busy bees. In this age of technology, there is always something to keep our minds occupied. While at home or work, we have computers to surf the web, check email, chat with friends, oh and do work. Once we leave the computer, we still have access to these things on our smartphones, e-readers, and other portable devices. Along with the devices are the constant meetings and errands. We need to take more time to do nothing. We live in a world where doing too much is normal. Unfortunately, this can also cause stress and other health problems. How much of what we do is necessary – truly necessary. Think about the things that are most important to you. Take back your time and adjust your ideas of what you must have in your life.

Allowing yourself to be happy means having more peace in your life. The power is already available to you to reach a level of happiness that can be projected in a way that lets others know you have reached a point of bliss.