3 Golden Rules To Live Happily

1. Forgive - everything done to you, the deliberate wrongs, the unconscious wrongs, the injustices… FORGIVE!
2. Love yourself - your smile, your accomplishments, your body. When you love yourself, you pamper yourself, you put aside a day to have a bath, to do a pedi, to exfoliate… you play your “special” tracks, you eat chocolate and steak and drink wine that’s a bit too expensive. You then curl up with a beautiful book you’ve put off reading because of all the busyness… you put you first. You wake up an hour earlier in the week to teach yourself the piano, because you will never do it otherwise, as you put everyone and everything else before you, which is grossly wrong.
3. Look for God. Not religion, but for God. I used to say I work at the company that employees me, but I work for God, as everything I do I do with care. I was very proud of that, but after a long time, 15 years… my job just progressively became worse. I really did some soul searching about that philosophy, and found that it was terribly wrong, because God wants you to live with Her, not for Her! Once I adjusted my thinking, everything fell into place. Living with God is about realizing that She has your back, trust Her completely and allow Her to trust you too. Which means, you are not going to hurt others, or cause harm, but that you are going to love the divine body she gave you, the ones around you will get the best of you and because She has your back, your forgiveness of others is expected, as it is up to Her to act on wrongs done.
4. There is a fourth rule for Happiness, and it’s Gratitude. I used to wring my hands in angst at a stressful situation I had to face, but when I’m through it, I’d realize that I gave up my trust in God by allowing myself to stress about the situation, because She had my back all along. Knowing this, and learning this is difficult, because you have to analyze the minutest detail of your life all the time. God is not distant, but right there with you all the time… even in your darkest hour, She has your back.

Just on forgiveness; we sometimes hold grudges because of blatant misunderstandings. We sometimes condemn others, as though we have a right. If you believe that God is forgiving, then what gives you the right to hold a grudge? If you believe God is unforgiving and vengeful, then know it’s up to Her to act on a wrong, as She alone can see the whole truth of what has transpired.