Since the first seed of The Happi Empire was planted in 2003, my mission has been to share knowledge about how to be deeply happy, from the inside out. Because being happy is a choice, but not one that we’re fully aware of how to choose.

This choice isn’t a simple click of the fingers. Choosing happiness is a lifestyle. An ongoing journey. It’s a choice you need to continually make every day. And you can start today, or restart if you get knocked off the path! You can always choose again.

Inner happiness is the natural result of undoing your perception of negative beliefs about yourself and life.

So it’s not a case of working towards ‘being happy’, because that is your natural state. It’s a case of removing the blocks to the awareness of your natural state. These blocks will continue to appear throughout life, so the real work is in the small daily habits that will create a happiness lifestyle.

My top tips to align with your inner happiness:⁠

+ Self reflection.

Self reflection means reviewing your behaviour, thoughts and beliefs. This is so important to do for what I like to call ‘happi maintenance’! Our feelings are informed by our thoughts, so if you’re letting them run wild and getting caught in negative thought loops, you will suffer considerably.

It can sometimes feel really scary to look inside ourselves, but the way to dissolve fear is by shining a light on it. And fear is at the route of every block that stands in the way of inner happiness. Thoughts can’t hurt you, it’s your power of belief in them that can hurt.

When you identify a negative thought or belief you hold, it’s time to celebrate! Because it’s this bag of mind-words that is keeping you stuck! And now that you’ve found it, you can replace it with a fresh, positive thought!

The outcome of taking the time to unpick your thoughts and beliefs is freedom from limitation! What are you thinking and what is it creating for you?

+ Self forgiveness and forgiving others.

Like self reflection, self forgiveness is another mental exercise using thoughts. But this one has the soul purpose of releasing heaviness and pain.

We all have default expectations for ourselves, other people and situations in our lives. These naturally result in disappointment, because our life script isn’t something we have ultimate control over. Carrying these disappointments about yourself and others is HEAVY. It weighs you down. It drains the energy you need for things that would be healthy and good for you. It keeps you stuck.

So you need to make a decision that even though this thing seems to have happened to you, it’s time to let go of the pain surrounding it. Don’t let it hold you back any longer.

As part of your self reflection practice, consciously and regularly forgive all disappointments. Big and small. Disappointments in yourself and that which you hold about others. The outcome of releasing all this heaviness will give you energy to pursue things that make you happy. Energy for self expression!

What are you disappointed about in yourself? And others?

+ Self expression.

Self expression is the expression of your feelings, thoughts and desires. This can show up in many ways. Blocking this expression leads to depression, which is essentially a stifling of the soul.

You don’t need to know the full extent of your truth to start expressing yourself now. Just start outputting what feels good to you. This could be in the form of writing, making something, singing, cooking, art, makeup, sharing, clothes, music, talking, building something or all of the above! It’s basically the opposite of numbing yourself with TV! And it’s whatever you think is FUN!

Your self expression is the answer to this question: What interests you? What do you feel drawn to do? Not for money, love or success, but for pure self expression!

Self expression is a first class ticket to aligning with your natural state. Discover how you want to express yourself by following the joy crumbs.⁠ What lights you up?

+ Nurturing relationships.

A nurturing relationship is a connection you have with a person that listens to you, wants to hear about your thoughts, someone that lifts you up, brings out the best in you and after having seen them, you feel light and happy.

You might have someone like this in your life, but we’re not always in a phase of life where we have someone like this. If you don’t have someone, then make a determined intention to seek and find it. If you do have a person like this, then see them on a regular basis. Invest in this connection.

Nurturing relationships are extremely uplifting and positive for our inner happiness.  Which nurturing person in your life can you arrange a catch up with?

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So my advice to you, lovely soul, is to book a whole day for happiness cultivation! Find the next free day you have, then do some self reflection, forgiveness and self expression! Then organise a catch up with your uplifting friend and you’ll have created your first series of happiness ripples. You have the power. Give this to yourself, the world needs your happiness <3