.

  • Written by Eric North aka “The Happiness Warrior”


As The Happiness Warrior, I’ve always viewed my life as a series of chapters or scenes from a film or documentary. There were times when the story surpassed my dreams and expectations.. There were also dark periods where my strength and resilience were severely tested. Times when I had to turn myself inside out in seeking atonement and inspiration. A series of chapters in the journey to our final destination. Each new awakening and shift in our mindset leading to new discoveries and greater self-reflection. Possibility and serendipity are always on the horizon. In a world with so much chaos and confusion it’s on ourselves that we will find our truth and salvation.

Nothing is forever and time will always work to heal our hurts and misfortunes. The path is never certain but when we are resilient and mindful of our actions we can overcome our hesitation to move forward and understand that “safe” is an empty promise. Fear is something anyone can conquer when we face our obstacles with courage and self-confidence. There’s no one that can judge or shame us when we know that our thoughts and actions have purpose and value.

We can do anything when we begin to understand that reinvention and renewal are how we reveal our truth and live in harmony with our core values and intention.

When I look back on my life I remember a series of adventures, hard truths, and opportunities that I often failed to accept or accomplish. Some of these were squandered and I wasn’t able to see the truth in my failure to reveal my authenticity. Others were decisions that changed my life and created new paths and sources of fulfillment. There were always indications and messages that led to stages of awakening and self-awareness. Many times, when I felt lost and defeated, but never ready to surrender my spirit. I began to understand myself better and view the life ahead with no limitations. Life has a way of revealing its complexities when we are continually in search of our next reality and incarnation.

We can all do our best if we set our mindset to one of self-creation and reinvention. We can always be better than we’ve ever imagined as long as we can learn to live in our truth. To create a stable and secure mindset from which we can rise from. To learn to show up for our lives and realize that all actions have value. That all words have spirit and never disappear. We can learn to be humbler and set our own expectations. We can vow to be our best every day without failure or excuses. 

Most of us have never fully allowed ourselves to be free of the need for validation from others. This holds us back from living intentionally and creating life balance.  We forget that we are the determinant of our actions and purpose. That we have the ability to be happy and find contentment and satisfaction with life from within. We are self-directed, capable of self-discipline, and most of us are free to think and live by our values and principles. There are no victims when we understand that only we are responsible for our choices and decisions.

SELF-DISCIPLINE IS THE REWARD

One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is the ability to understand and practice the art of self-awareness and self-discipline. A mindset where we feel both capable and confident. The awakening of our spirit that comes when we are aligned with our desires and intentions. An understanding that what we achieve in life depends on our actions and adherence to our core values. The process of achieving more balance in life and self-propelled inspiration. This is the true path to success and greater happiness. A place where good habits are ingrained and fully actualized. A path to a better future with a mission to focus on renewal, integrity, and reinvention.

Most of us view work and routine as drudgery and a mostly unpleasant endeavor. There are usually other things that we dream about doing and self-induced depression and regret can alter our mindset. It can make us feel angry or trapped. It can make us feel irrational and seek to punish ourselves and cause harm to others. This causes our lives to remain static and our dreams unrealized.

TRAUMA AND ABUSE CANNOT DEFINE US

One of the easiest ways to gain more empathy and understanding for both our own struggles and the plight of others is to realize that we never really know what someone else is thinking or going through. Hurt people generally hurt other people and seek some sort of release in their hateful or illogical actions. They live in their trauma and are rarely honest about the cause and their role in healing themselves. They create chaos and dysfunction and are often very vocal and their egos have become too powerful. They have forgotten that they are in control of their destiny and adopt a mindset of grievance and victimhood.

All of these symptoms and tiresome behaviors can be alleviated when we give ourselves permission to be happy and live in our truth. All harm can be reduced in our mind when we are able to be vocal and state our troubles and concerns aloud. There’s always a light from within that’s just waiting for us to allow it to raise our vibration and spirit. A rebirth of sorts when we allow more light to shine on our truth and values.

REINVENTION IS A MINDFUL ENDEAVOR

Here are several important thought paradigms that will always help us raise and renew our inner spirit and authenticity. A gentle guide to become our best and realizing our best selves every day with confidence and positive energy:

1.      Set realistic goals with the expectation that they can grow as our mission changes, and as we become more honest about our abilities.

2.      Realize that most of what we worry about will never happen. The worry trap is perhaps the biggest waste of our time and energy. Focus on the present and take an inventory of what we have right now.

3.      Respect the perspective of others without losing sight of our own.

4.      Seek communities that offer closeness and support with losing ourselves in a group or need for conformity. This is how people get lost in cults or religions and lose their ability to think freely.

5.   Adapt a warrior like mindset and understand the clarity that comes from serving the common good.

6.      Procrastination is the death of momentum and happiness. Sometimes, we think we are too smart and forget that stress is entirely self-created by fear and inaction.

7.      Nothing is ever accomplished fully unless we take time to rest and reset. There’s no point in being a martyr if we’re not consciously caring for our mind and body.

8.      Developing an honest and self-aware mission statement gives us a base to grow and learn from. We can create even higher self-awareness and personal excellence with an attitude of confidence and capability.

Life is a playing field where we are all participants. No one is better than anyone else, but some are more skilled and more able to adapt to changing needs and circumstances. They are there to show us the way and are always happier and eager to share their journey with others. They are the hope for the future and the way forward in uniting once again. They lead the way and show us the power of self-reflection and reinvention. The path to happiness, self-confidence and inner peace is ours to choose and raise our vibration.

Follow:

IG @thehappinesswarriorofficial
Website: thwarrior.com

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 ...