This week it seems that MindBodyGreen has published a surplus of articles all relating back to happiness. The first article that I came across was by Shannon Kaiser on “20 Signs You’re Happier Than You Give Yourself Credit For.” This sparked my interest right away, as I have  found that I describe myself as unhappy at times and wanted to see if I recognized any of the 20 signs in my life. As I began to read each sign over, I started to relate to more and more to each of them. I related to #6 the most, as I realized that my dreams are coming true with each day. I am about to start my graduate program at UCF in the area of my choice, which I have been working towards since late high school, early college. I also recently began working here at Life Skills Resource Group, which is my first real career-related experience, where I am working in the environment that I envision myself in the future. Through this experience, I am learning the ins and outs of a private practice from the administrative side, which is a fundamental part of any business or practice, and I am so grateful for the opportunity. As I reflected on all of the positives in my life, I began to realize how much the article fit me and how I have been viewing parts of my life. Just #6 alone had enough examples alone to open my eyes on how easily I will generalize my unhappiness towards certain events in my life to thinking I am overall unhappy with my life.

Now, this may not happen all of the time, but I think we all let disappointing and upsetting situations get the best of us at times. We will all have those days when everything seems to go wrong or things (such as plans or potential new jobs) that we were looking forward to, either fall through or do not end up going along as planned. We cannot prepare for those days, but I feel they are necessary for us to be able to reflect and realize how happy we are in other areas of our lives and in return become grateful for all that we have.

Every obstacle that seems to appear on the road to happiness, is all worth it.

After I finished reading through this article, I coincidentally stumbled upon “50 Habits For A Happy Life.” It was as if someone was looking out for me and knew that after reading articles talking about being happy in one’s life, I would need new habits to help  lead a happier life! These 50 habits are an excellent way for us to be able to quickly find new ways to improve our lives and start on the road to even more happiness. They are easy, but may seem impossible in a stressful, crazy life. I think just starting one step at a time, even if that is just reading over this list, is a step in the right direction! The first habit is to slow down and I do not think there is any better habit to have. Our society gets so caught up in everything that is happening in our lives that we sometimes forget that taking a break and slowing everything down can be one of the most useful ways to reduce stress, anxiety and unhappiness and start the path to becoming happier. And remember, if you begin incorporating these habits into your life, you may not see the changes right away.  Living an all-around happy life is possible for each of us, but it does take time!

So, if you’re dealing with unhappiness and feel that speaking with someone will benefit you the most,  give us a call at Life Skills Resource Group Orlando at 407-355-7378. Our Orlando Life Coach, Cindy Fabico, and our Orlando individual counselors: Amy Smith, Kelli Skorman and Jessica Carmean, are experienced in helping you work through the unhappiness within all aspects of your life. If you are feeling unhappiness within you relationship, our Orlando Couples Counselors or Orlando Marriage Counselors, Cindy Fabico and Risa Bos, can help you discover and develop ways to find the happiness you once had.

With hope that we all find our happiness, ~Sabina Flores