“To change our lives, at some point we have to decide that, rather than suffer anymore, we are going to live in happiness. And the only way we can do that is to make the decision to look for things to appreciate, no matter what.
As we begin to focus on the good and the brighter side of things, the law of attraction responds by sending back to us the exact photocopy of our new thoughts. And good things begin to appear. And then more good things, and then more…” —The Secret Daily Teachings February 7 Day 403
I want to deconstruct this quote because it is truly life changing. Or rather, it offers the possibility of being life changing. However, reading the quote, hearing the quote, knowing about the quote is not the life changing part.
I want us all to apply this quote to our lives. To our real lives of work and relationships and mortgages and kids and daily routines. To our real lives of bills to pay and goals to achieve.
I am inviting you to apply this quote. My hope is by deconstructing the quote, I offer you ideas for how to do just that—apply it to your real life. To your every day ordinary, extraordinary life.
Let’s start at the beginning…
“To change our lives, at some point we have to decide that, rather than suffer anymore, we are going to live in happiness.”
To change your life, you have to decide to live in happiness. To change your life, you have to choose happiness instead of suffering. To change your life, you have to decide to be happy.
Now, it could be easy to gloss past this as obvious or downplay the importance of what this is saying. I don’t want us to gloss past. Instead, I want to really shine a light on the part about decide.
Have you ever thought about what it means to decide? To decide means “come to a resolution in the mind as a result of consideration”.
Here’s what that means in relation to happiness versus suffering and our quote: Happiness starts in your mind. With a decision you make.
Really let that land: Happiness starts in your mind.
As you stand in your life right now, you get to decide. You are considering happiness or suffering, and you are coming to a resolution in your mind. You are deciding to go down the path of one or the other.
I invite you to decide: I am going to live in happiness.
Being happy starts with you deciding you are going to be happy. It starts with you coming to a resolution in your mind that you are going to live in happiness.
Notice the quote doesn’t say decide to be happy when X, Y, or Z happens. This is not about deciding to be happy when you finish your degree or find a partner. This is not be happy when you have more money or your business takes off or you have more followers on social media.
The quote also doesn’t say suffer until X, Y, or Z happens. This is not about deciding to stop suffering when your body is in a certain shape, when your debt is paid off, when your mother-in-law changes.
Nope.
It’s not be happy when certain conditions are met and certain circumstances are in place. It’s not be happy when…
Instead, it’s decide to be happy. It’s deciding you are going to live in happiness.
And the truly beautiful thing is: You can decide right now, today. You can choose not to suffer anymore and be happy.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, needs to change or be different or better or more or less for you to decide today that you are going to live in happiness.
Let’s continue on…
“To change our lives, at some point we have to decide that, rather than suffer anymore, we are going to live in happiness. And the only way we can do that is to make the decision to look for things to appreciate, no matter what.”
After making the decision to live in happiness, there’s only one way to do that. Make the decision—did you catch that—another decision—make the decision to look for things to appreciate.
And then it says no matter what.
- It doesn’t say look for things to appreciate on Fridays or when you receive the check in the mail.
- It doesn’t say look for things to appreciate when you are on vacation or when you get the engagement ring.
- It doesn’t say look for things to appreciate when the job offer comes or you buy the house.
Nope. It says look for things to appreciate no matter what.
And so at this point, you are choosing to live in happiness rather than suffer and you are choosing to look for things to appreciate rather than focus on things you lack or don’t like.
So simple, really, isn’t it?
Two decisions. The decision to live in happiness. And the decision to look for things to appreciate.
If the question is: How can I live in happiness? Then the answer is: Look for things to appreciate no matter what.
Let’s finish out the quote…
“As we begin to focus on the good and the brighter side of things, the law of attraction responds by sending back to us the exact photocopy of our new thoughts. And good things begin to appear. And then more good things, and then more…”
Law of Attraction 101: Like attracts like. What you give, you receive. I love the photocopy analogy because it offers a simple way to think about how LoA is working in your life.
So you’ve made the decision to live in happiness. Which means you have turned away from suffering. And you’ve made the decision to look for things to appreciate, no matter what.
And then the magic begins. Law of Attraction matches up circumstances and conditions, people and opportunities, events and things that are a photocopy of your new thoughts of happiness and appreciation. Good things begin to appear. And then more good things, and then more.
That is how Law of Attraction works.
Think about your thought life. Think about what you’ve been focused on. And now think about receiving an exact photocopy of your thoughts and your focus. What will you experience in your reality?
The practical application of this quote is about deciding. Don’t overcomplicate the two choices: Happiness or suffering.
Decide not to suffer.
If you want the manifestation of good things appearing in your life experience, decide.
- First, decide to live in happiness.
- Then, decide to look for things to appreciate—no matter what.
As you go about your day, focus on the good. Focus on the brighter side of things. Appreciate no matter what.
