.

  • Written by Eric North aka “The Happiness Warrior”


If the last few chaotic and crisis filled years have taught us anything, it is that we need to be prepared any time to adapt and change. Like it or not everything we once knew has moved on and now is the perfect opportunity to make new rules for our lives.

It’s time to reconnect with our inner voice and learn to live by our personal core values. It’s time to change the way we play the game of life. It’s time to say no to what doesn’t matter and know what to leave behind.

We are happiest when we live in the present and are satisfied with our lives.

As The Happiness Warrior, it’s always helped me to think of my life as a great game that’s mine alone to define and play. A good game is never easy, challenges and roadblocks are there to humble and teach us. Life is easier when our mindset is set to solving our problems and valuing the wisdom and lessons that they provide.

I’ve defined my life as a series of adventures which have closely aligned with my subconscious identity and authenticity. I’ve rarely chosen the easy path and have faced many perils and hardships as well many incredible experiences and moments of great joy. Each happening, both the good and the bad, was a magical lesson to learn and do better.

SELF DISCIPLINE IS EASY

Self-discipline is an innate trait in all humans, everyone is capable of doing something to make their lives better in even the smallest way. Nothing happens in life unless we use what we have and learn that the best of us comes from within. Each small improvement builds on itself and creates momentum.

Nothing in life is supposed to be easy but the attitude and belief in ourselves that we project will create the lives that we deserve and dream about. One small step becomes a bigger step. Believe in yourself and take charge of your destiny. It’s that easy!

Set your compass on being your best and use your experiences to gain wisdom and transform your life into a magical journey. Look back and marvel at your audacity with wonder and gratitude for being your true self. Most of all know that life has a way of revealing its path when we are open to all that it has to offer both the good and bad. Choices and opportunities are often a reflection of how we feel about ourselves.

Earlier in my life I went through a cycle of abusive relationships. It altered my spirit and made me feel unhappy and increasingly lonely and unfulfilled. My vibration was low and felt that I had no future. I was good at hiding my feelings, but deep down I only knew fear and shame.

After I broke free, I spent a period in deep reflection. It was a lonely time, but I got to know myself once again and I realized that I was supposed to be happy. Until then, my energy had been consumed with remorse and anger. They were my constant companions.

It happened rather quickly almost as if the past had never happened. I became incredibly happy and began to pull myself together and figured out who I was. I knew that I had a mission in life and set out to make the world happier. I vowed to leave a path of change in my walk through life.

Life gives us choices and I chose the path of happiness and fulfillment. I found my purpose in the wreckage of my past and was able to move forward in body, spirit, and mind. A true warrior cares about the common good of all and I created my purpose and intention. I tuned up my life for the service of others and I found my long-suppressed powers!

AFFIRMATIONS ARE TRUTHS

Each night before bed I sit in my darkened room on the edge of the bed, and I reflect on the past day and focus my intention on the next day ahead.

I think about what I did well, acknowledge any errors in words or judgment, and focus on never repeating the same mistakes again.

I learn and feel gratitude from the moments of joy and know with a sense of duty that I am happy and want others to feel good about their lives.

I say my problems and worries aloud and make them smaller.

I use logic to create a sense of peace and feel myself centered and in the present.

This is how I’ve learned to sleep well, by being truthful with myself. It’s the formula for being happy and one that I can’t live without.

SELF-AWARENESS

One of my Happiness Warrior Core Values is the need to practice self-awareness in everything I do. When I see myself in my truth and authenticity I’m able to enable my mindset and attitude to create the path I seek in life. There’s nothing more meaningful that gives us more purpose than when we are honest with ourselves. When we stop living our lives for the approval of others we can truly see our own gifts and abilities. This is how we rise.

PRACTICE GRATITUDE

In our fast paced and information clogged lives, we tend to take things for granted and lose our sense of empathy and self-awareness. Routine becomes drudgery when it feels like we are trapped. It’s a cycle that consumes so many of us and one that’s our choice to accept. The remedy is found within--the attitude that we set ourselves ignites the spark that inspires our journey.

Find beauty in every moment and connect with the sparks of joy that we find throughout our days. It’s easier to leap from each happy moment into another happy moment when we can see and feel the energy in our lives.

Gratitude is the perfect way to create authenticity and peace. Hug a tree, marvel at the sunrise, or go for a walk and allow yourself to dream.

CURIOSITY

There are many of us out there who feel like we’re drifting, unattached and living in a state of semi-consciousness. We believe there’s safety in our apathy and are tricked into fearing the unknown.

The antidote is to be fully engaged with life and living in the present. All that truly matters is happening now and in the moment. Life becomes more tethered to our consciousness and our purpose increases when we are living in the present. Happiness comes when we are engaged and learning everything that’s being unveiled to us.

Wherever you find yourself in whatever circumstances, remember that there’s a reason why you are there in that place right now. There’s no use fighting reality, use your intuition and feel and see the clues to your life that are all around you. Everything that we need to know comes from our intuition and ability to feel the connection to the energy of the universe. There’s a lesson in everything that we can use for our betterment.

As The Happiness Warrior I believe that living in the present is the essential building block for a happier life. We can be prepared for everything when we learn to stop our racing thoughts and center ourselves on the present.

LISTENING

I’ve always had a brain that thinks very fast and when the starting gun is fired I’ve already planned my next moves and focused on the destination. This has been both a blessing and a curse and too often I’ve thought I’ve known the outcome before I stopped to listen. It was something I needed to work on, and I knew that I needed to truly listen and hear another’s truth. Listening and hearing another’s point of view is how we learn and gain wisdom. Nothing gains our respect more than listening to the truths of others.

ATONEMENT/REFLECTION

Every moment in life is an opportunity to learn a lesson. Life experiences are the most valuable part of who we are. Everything we do matters.

Take some time out to reflect and come to a better understanding of who you are. It's a way to tune up our thinking and look at our lives from different perspectives. It encourages us to value what makes our lives great and focus on what we still need to accomplish. Atonement is the ultimate honesty that gives us so much gratitude. Happiness is only elusive when we are dishonest with ourselves.

As the end of another tumultuous year comes to an end, the best thing we can do is invest in ourselves and believe in our right to be happy and live our authentic lives.

Be your best in one thing that you do well and keep that feeling going. When we’re truly at our best we are always our happiest and most fulfilled. Gratitude for who we are is like betting on ourselves to win!


Eric North The Happiness Warrior

Eight unbeatable happiness habits

As The Happiness Warrior, the core of my mission and purpose is to help us lift themselves out of acts of self-induced suffering, negative emotions, and self-sabotage. To forgive and forget all of the terrible things that have happened in the past ...

Happiness is the answer to our misery

As the Happiness Warrior, I’ve always believed that every human deserves to be happy and enjoy life’s opportunities and choices.  A firm belief every human has meaning and purpose. It’s a life-affirming belief system that enables me to have empathy a...

13 habits for greater happiness and success

As The Happiness Warrior, I’ve always believed that life is best when viewed as a game that always must be played to win. A mindset where we’re fully engaged with our consciousness and intention in a timeline of our own creation. How we choose to pla...

How to be someone we're proud of

Most of us go through our lives doing what’s expected of us. Grinding away through our lives without thinking much about our how we came to be in our present circumstances. A constant and never-ending cycle of seeking approval and meeting the expecta...

How to be noticed

We all know the feeling that comes when we’re unnoticed, feel disconnected, and fearful. It might be temporary and completely random in nature, but it can make us feel small and so alone. Life is often unfair, and many are easily forgotten or neglect...

Ten steps to a more cheerful life

The most certain sign of wisdom is cheerfulness—Michel De Montaigne As The Happiness Warrior, I’ve always felt the joy of connection that comes when meeting others of similar attitude and mindset. The happy beings who walk among us who’re always r...

10 sure ways to feel good right now

As The Happiness Warrior, I feel it’s important to talk about the good and the bad in words and thoughts that we can all relate to and understand. It’s my firm belief that happiness is more than just a feeling but a means of change and reunificatio...

5 empowering ways to make our lives worth fighting for

All humans that have learned the secrets to living a fulfilling and happier life have one thing in common that provides more happiness and personal freedom. The ability to look forward to each day with gratitude and acceptance. An all-knowing fee...

Finding our way to happiness

When I was young, I knew that my interests and dreams were different than the other kids and I often felt disconnected and an outlier. I was constantly seeking knowledge and always hungry to learn anything that I could find of interest. I learned to ...

Victim no more

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself-Harvey Fierstein We’ve all been a casualty at times in our lives from someone who intentionally inflicted harm and cr...

The five traits of wisdom

Of the many qualities and traits of humanity, wisdom is the keeper of us all. It’s found in our values, thoughts, and actions. The undeniable need to pass along our hard-earned experiences and help others along through their journey. The ability to...

Ten secrets to greater happiness and mental strength

I have a dream that one day we will all become warriors for our lives.  That we’ll live in the happiness that comes when we understand the feelings of value and purpose that arise when we begin to reveal our innate self-directed powers and motivati...

The only five things that really matter

As The Happiness Warrior, I like to view life as a game that we play throughout the scope of our existence. It’s a complicated game and there are many twists and turns. Sometimes we will get what we want and other times we will be greatly disappoin...

Authentically fearless

Growing up in the South in the nineteen-seventies was a time and place in which I always felt out of place and alone. Without anyone I could trust myself to be honest and authentic with.  I knew my truth but kept it deeply hidden away for its inevi...

Practicing joyful perfectionism

I’ve always thought that one of the most magnificent things about being human is our ability to discover things which we are passionate about and learn to do them well. A joyful mindset in which we are able to hone our ability to think freely, di...

The Happiness Warrior's laws for happiness

For so many of us happiness might feel like something we’re always seeking that seems just out of reach. We all want more happiness, but most of us forget to realize that it’s actually truth and vulnerability that we are truly seeking. A happiness ...

Happiness is always there to remind us

It’s often said that happiness is a choice and only a feeling that’s soon forgotten. As The Happiness Warrior, I strongly disagree and believe we deserve more. Happiness is best viewed as a lifestyle and mindset that we choose to make happen throug...

How to start leveling up

As the Happiness Warrior, I’ve always thought that the best way to look at life is that we are all players in a great game with many levels and dimensions. This helps me to understand my place in the universe and the ability to shape my destiny. I ...