Which statement do you believe is the most true?

• Happiness brings you financial success
• Financial success brings you happiness

You might be surprised to learn that research suggests the first statement to be the most true.

Again, which statement to you believe is the most true?

• Happiness is a choice
• Happiness is the result of doing work you love
• Happiness is the result of having wonderful relationships

Again, the first statement proves to be the most true. In fact, the other two are more the RESULT of happiness rather than the CAUSE of it!

Happy people tend to choose meaningful work and are more effective, productive, focused, creative and successful than unhappy people. Happy people also tend to create relationships that are far happier than those created by unhappy people.

If we are more financially successful and create healthier relationships when we are happy, the big question is: What creates happiness?

Happy people THINK differently than unhappy people. Our feelings of happiness or unhappiness come from our thoughts, which come from our beliefs.

Which beliefs create the most happiness?

• I am a victim of life and of others choices.
• I am 100% responsible for my own feelings.

• I am alone and I will always be alone.
• I am never alone. I am always being loved and guided by Spirit.

• I am basically unworthy and unlovable.
• I am a magnificent spark of the Divine.

• When I die, I die.
• My soul is eternal. When my body dies, my soul continues to learn and evolve.

• My happiness comes from having money, from being in a relationship, or from being married with children.
• My happiness comes from expressing love and compassion to myself and to others.

• We are separate.
• We are One.

The answers, of course, are obvious.

People who choose to see themselves as victims of their past, of circumstances, and of other people are unhappy people. People who choose to take full 100% responsibility for their own feelings of happiness and unhappiness are much happier than people who don't.

Likewise, people who have no spiritual connection, who do not believe in a higher source of love, wisdom, and power, are far more unhappy and anxious than those people who turn to a higher power for love and guidance.

People who believe themselves to be their body and their ego, always feel unworthy and unlovable. People who know themselves to be their beautiful soul, feel worthy and lovable.

People who believe that this life is all there is are far more anxious, controlling and greedy than people who believe that this life is a moment in time of the eternal evolution of their soul.

People who believe that getting love, getting approval, or getting money is what makes them happy are far less happy than those people who know that choosing to learn to love themselves and share their love with others is what brings them joy.

A belief in separation - from each other and from our Divine Source - leads to feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. When you know that each of us is a spark of God, you know that you are never alone.

Self-love is essential for happiness. When you choose to get to know and to love the Divine being that you are - the Love that you are - you are living in truth. Happiness is the result of living in truth - the truth that you are a magnificent spark of the Divine, and that it is your responsibility to lovingly take care of the beautiful being that you are - by thinking and behaving in loving ways. When you see and love who you really are, you also see and love the Divine being within each individual. This brings happiness, which paves the way for financial success and healthy relationships. Margaret Paul, Ph.D.