“Well, of course she’s happy. If my butt looked like that in white jeans I’d be happy, too.”
“It’s not hard for him to be happy. Please. He’s got a trust fund and a face like Paul Newman.”
“Happiness sure comes easily for her. But how happy would she be if she were in my shoes?”
Such were the not particularly charitable or healthy thoughts that ran through my head for much of my twenties. (You can hear more about that less-than-amazing-time here.)
I was completely, wholeheartedly convinced that happiness was reserved for Perfect People.
People whose parents were still married.
People who had never struggled with their bodies.
People who made the right career choice the moment they exited college.
It took me years of rough sailing and self examination to realize something I should have known from the moment my heart started beating:
You deserve to be happy.
Happiness is not reserved for special people. 
Every single human on this blessed, green planet has regrets.
We’ve all done things we wish we hadn’t. We’ve been hurt + humiliated
+ failed in a myriad of ways.
But really and truly, you can heal your wounds and step into happiness.
You deserve it as much as anyone.
Happiness is not earmarked for:
millionaires
celebrities
the flawless and mistake-less (p.s. they don’t exist)
the never-broken-hearted
the people with huge, world-conquering dreams
Happiness is available to you. To everyone!
So if you’ve ever:
maxed out your credit-cards
overstepped your bounds
ate the whole pizza
taken the wrong job
dated the wrong person (and for way too long)
You’re not perfect!
(None of us are.)
You still get to be happy.
You still deserve happy.
In fact, all those mess-ups and mis-steps can actually pave the way to happy.
Now you know what you don’t want to do the next time around.
You grow
expand
evolve
and get one step closer to the happiness that’s waiting for you.
Photo by Huyen Nguyen on Unsplash
Dr. Dowling has spent years helping people live richer, more joyful lives. She has seen firsthand the magical pairing of psychology and life coaching, which allows people to access their happiest selves.
View Dr. Dowling's articles on Mindbodygreen
- Maybe I’d be Happier with Someone Else? - Apr 25, 2023
- Mastering An Attitude Of Gratitude & How to Maintain Feeling Grateful - Mar 28, 2023
- How Do I Find Joy in Life? - Feb 24, 2023