From Pursuit to the Presence of Happiness
Written by Bristol Baughan
According to a study by Dr. Timothy Wilson, a Social Psychologist at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, 67 percent of men and 25 percent of women preferred a self-inflicted electric shock over being left alone with their thoughts. I promise you, your mind isn’t as bad as you think. I walk people through fear for a living. Every single time we finally reach the center of a fearful thought, we find it like a wisp of energy, a phantom, made of pure imagination. I invite you to the center of your mind, a place within, that is still and whole. It is here you will find all the happiness and fulfillment you seek.
Here are some ways to shift out of the relentless pursuit of happiness, into the presence of it.
Love Your Mind
Imagine your incredible mind to be a creative and sometimes stubborn child. Adorable and often annoying. It is used to doing things its own way. As you get to know how your mind operates, what it gets hung up on, and how to soothe it, imagine you are talking to a child you love. The more you love it the more it will relax and be open to quiet.
Be a Beginner
The art of being still and quiet takes practice. Like starting any sport or hobby, it begins with awkward attempts and potential humiliation. Guess what?! No one is watching, except your own mind, which of course is your harshest bully. The first step in any new meditation practice is noticing your thoughts. Practice being a scientist who is observing the wild animal in your head, and without judgment, just begin to notice what you hear. Check out the Insight
Timer App for guided meditations.
Allow Whatever Arises
Learn to allow thoughts to flow freely, and avoid passing judgement. Notice what happens when you judge a thought. It is likely to operate like a dam, stopping flow of energy, and building pressure and anxiety inside. Repressed emotion creates anxiety. The more you allow your thoughts to flow, without resistance or repression, the more free and happy you will feel. As you gain distance from your thoughts, and recognize you have thoughts but are not your thoughts, peace and freedom will follow.
Prioritize & Feed Your Soul
What lights you up? What makes you come alive? Whether it is hiking in Redwoods or collecting comic books or playing an instrument, whatever
it is, do it. Start with 5 minutes. Ask your partner for support if you need it. The more you feed yourself soul food, the more energy you will have and happier you will feel. The focus spent on this will help you train your mind to focus on what you love.
Choose Happiness
One of the biggest challenges to experiencing happiness is the belief that “I am unworthy” to receive it. Somewhere along the path of life, usually in childhood, we have an experience that gives birth to a thought that we are unworthy of happiness. Inquire within. If you uncover a belief like this, ask yourself, is it true? If not, forgive yourself for believing it in the first place.
Bristol Baughan is an Executive Producer of Emmy-winning and
Oscar-Nominated films and founded the leadership coaching
company, Inner Astronauts, to invite people to shift from the
relentless pursuit for “more” (money, power, love) and into aligned purpose, fulfillment, and creative contribution.
InnerAstronauts | Mill Valley
310.779.9644 bristol@innerastronauts.com
