Pure And Simple Happiness

Pure And Simple Happiness ©2015 Joan M. Newcomb

Whole Foods opened it's very first store in Tacoma yesterday and I was unbelievably happy.  We've lived here for 18 months and I've been trekking to Seattle almost weekly for my organic fruits and veggies.

I could rave on about the store - it's enormous, it's bigger than the one in Rockville in the DC area where I'd shop when caring for my mom - but it isn't about the store, it's about the feeling.

It was pure and simple, childlike joy.

Happy Baby!

It surprised me, because, yeah, I like Whole Foods, and, yeah, I'm going to appreciate not schlepping up I-5 forty-five minutes each way to go shopping, but this just came in sideways.  Which is what it's like when you're receiving from Consciousness.

Something like this happened a couple weeks ago as well.  We went out to dinner for my birthday, and this same childlike joy came up.  I mean, yeah, it was my birthday and yeah, it was a nice restaurant, but there was also a myriad of things that could have pissed me off (and has, in the past).

Instead these was this gleeful feeling, everything unfolding 'just for me'!

What's going on?

I think that I've cleared away enough rubble and clutter that my inner child feels safe to come out to play.

I've been strengthening my inner connection as Consciousness, and it's allowing this to come in.

I'm hesitant to say what's contributing to this, as I don't think there's one formula for finding happiness.  I've had several times where I've experienced what I'd call a Spiritual Awakening.  It's a feeling of being in love with the Universe, in love with my life, and in love with my Self (and not necessarily in that order).

I do know that it's come after a period of focused concentration, i.e. several weeks or months of meditation and energy work.  I also know that it's gone away when I've lost my focus or gotten distracted (like getting into a new relationship).

What I can say is that it takes disengaging from outside drama.  It takes detaching from other people's 'stuff'.  It's choosing to keep your hands on the wheel of your own vehicle, and your eyes on the road of your own path.

The thing about happiness is that it doesn't come from a winning lottery ticket, or from having all your ducks in a row. You may not have learned all your lessons perfectly, or attained enlightenment. You can, however start experiencing happiness, right here, right now.

I do have some simple tools and techniques that I use, and that I've taught clients to use with great success. If you're interested, I'm going to be launching a new online training, click here to find out more!

What about you? What makes you happy?  Or, what would make you happy? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Values and Worth

Values and Worth ©2015 Joan Newcomb

What's most important in life for you?  Where do you focus 90% of your attention? What do you spend most of your money on? Do you feel satisfied with your life?

The answer to these questions may - or may *not* give you a clue about your core values.

For instance, your children may be of the utmost importance, so you work two jobs to support them, but you never get to see them, because you're working, so you don't feel satisfied with your life. 

Perhaps you spend most of your money on clothes, because you want to appear fashionable but you really you feel like the geeky kid you were in middle school.

These are examples where you aren't living your life in alignment with your values.  Your sense self worth is affected.

Sometimes what you *don't* spend money on also reflects your values.

When you know what your values are, it helps you make decisions.  You may value relationships. You may value communication.  But you make $300 an hour at Microsoft spending most of your day debugging software in a room by yourself.  Now you understand why you're rich, but not happy.

Perhaps your top values are honesty and integrity, and you're dating someone charming and handsome but who compulsively lies.  You now know whether or not to stay in the relationship.

Spiritual, emotional and material values don't always harmonize.  Your family may value hard worth and fiscal responsibility, but you value creativity and freedom.  Your Church may say they follow the values of Christ and yet aren't compassionate or nonjudgemental.

Don't allow others to determine your worth.  You are priceless.  You are a gift to this world.  You are Consciousness here to enhance the collective experience by being uniquely YOU.

Your core values are clues to your life purpose.  You're here to express yourself as Consciousness in physical form.  Your artistic abilities are your spiritual language.  If you write, if you sing, if you dance, if you act, if you paint, if you knit, if you cook, if you garden, it is the greater aspect of you communicating the essence of who you are.

To identify your top core values, take this questionnaire.

Hope this helps you navigate life in the direction of your choice!