“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself in your way of thinking.”

-Marcus Aurelius

This quote right here, friends. It is good.

Through the years, I’ve wondered what it would take to lead a happy life. Really, it’s all most of us want if you think about it.

I’ve turned to material things, which didn’t work out as I’d hoped. I’ve also turned to things like faith and family which are much more meaningful and worthwhile.

While placing value on faith and family can be very important for our well being, if our thought life is not where it should be we will not be happy.

I believe happiness begins inside of us, apart from any outside influence.

For years, I believed that I was “not good” thanks to the teaching of original sin in Christianity. It really was very harmful to me. Perhaps one day I will write more about that. It has taken more than a year for me to rewire my brain to think that I actually am “good” regardless of my faith life. I think we all are. With my whole heart I believe we all have a spark inside of us that is connected to the Divine.

As I’ve contemplated this concept and life in general, I’ve come up with a concept that I like to call “inner wealth.” If we can see the immense value of our own soul, then what more could we want? We can tap into the goodness in ourselves by putting our energy towards loving and helping others, and this will bring us deep contentment.

Lately, instead of wondering what I can buy to bring me happiness, I think about what I can learn. I think about what I can do. Did you know it is incredibly hard to think about both negative and positive thoughts at the same time? So if a negative thought creeps in, I make a conscious effort to instead choose a positive one.

I think so many of us can become healed and happy if we stop worrying about what we own and stuff out of our control. Instead, I want to learn how to really like myself. To be happy with myself, my thoughts, my actions. To forgive myself for my mistakes and look optimistically at each day as they come. To cultivate happiness from the inside out.

Very little is needed to make a happy life, indeed.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, friends. If you’d like to read more Stoic Encouragement, please click here.