By Kate Trafford

Do you think you that you have to Drive Hard if you want to be happy and successful?  Years of conditioning from well-intentioned family members, friends, teachers, employers and the media may well have taught you this is so.  Even the powerfully-poetic words of the US Declaration of Independence appear, at first glance, to suggest that ‘happiness’ is a state which must be ‘pursued’.  If you strive and struggle with enough grit and determination then, someday at some indeterminate time in the future, you’ll be happy.  Until then, just keep striving.  It’ll be worth it in the end.  Or so the story goes…

Now I don’t know about you, but this was not my experience – and I really gave it my best shot, for years!  In reality, the harder I worked, the less joyful, peaceful and secure I became.  It was as though the circumstances of my life improved, but my ‘state of being’ did not.  And, since we only ever want a change of circumstances (more money, a new job, an improved relationship, better health, etc) because we believe we’ll feel better as a result, this was a really big deal!

So if you have a Dream Destination – a place of high achievement and fulfillment – and ‘blood, sweat and tears’ are not the answer, what is?  Well, for me, it’s all summed up in this one beautiful quote from Abraham-Hicks:

“A happy life is just a string of happy moments.
But most people do not allow the happy moment,
because they’re too busy trying to get a happy life.”

Happiness is the natural by-product of Choosing Your Scenery, of steering your mind in the direction you wish to travel, and noticing everything in your life right now which is already a match for where you are heading.

• Want more money?  Be excited about the money you already have – however little it may be!
• Want a new job?  Focus on all the best attributes of the job you already have, or the work you have done in the past!
• Want the ‘ideal body’?  Focus on what you like about your body right now – not only its appearance, but how it breathes and detoxifies and rebuilds itself constantly – all with no effort on your part whatsoever!

You can create a ‘happy moment’ right now by noticing just how beautiful your life already is. Keep going, and you generate that ‘string of happy moments’ you’ve always wanted.

Now, this takes a little practice.  The story you have been telling yourself about what’s wrong or what’s missing probably has a little momentum by now.  But the small effort required to find a better-feeling thought is nothing in comparison to the effort otherwise required to grind through your day, week in week out.

So give it a try.  Set the intention that, over the next few days, you will begin to notice more and more in your life that you can appreciate right now – whilst being very ready for even more good stuff to flow in!  And notice what happens to how you feel.

Life is a journey.  And setting out each day to passionately create the results you want in your life can be an exhilarating ride!  But happiness itself need not be pursued.  Regardless of our circumstances, it is always right here, right now – if we have the eyes to see it.

Kate’s Mini Bio:

Kate is a coach and personal development trainer, based in England and one of Jaki’s fellow winners of the Hay House ‘London Movers & Shakers’ competition.  Drawing on her extensive background in NLP, hypnotherapy, metaphysics and beyond, she helps individuals and organisations align with a powerful vision for the future success, and make it a reality.  She is currently writing her first book, “Cruise Control: Your Guide to Effortless Success”.

To learn more, check out Kate’s blog at www.CruiseControlForLife.com

Join Kate on her Facebook page – www.Facebook.com/CruiseControlForLife

Breaking News

Kate’s Free Online Event with Hay House has just been announced – for further details click the link below

Cruise Control: Effortless Success on the Journey of Life

How Kate & Jaki Know Each Other:

Kate and I met last year at the London Movers and Shakers Workshop, held by Hay House Publishers. We had instant rapport and were both ‘enthusiastic’ about each other’s goals and direction. We kept in contact and were so grateful when we were announced as winners in the competition. We both Get to host our own 1 hour online event – to Hay House’s International Community! How Cool is that! Mine is scheduled for 7th July and Kate’s is 26th July.

Simple Positive Steps You Can Take Now ~

• Remember “Life is a journey.  And setting out each day to passionately create the results you want in your life can be an exhilarating ride!”
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• Have a Great Day :))

In Gratitude

Jaki :)