Tuesday, January 11, 2011

5 People Who Aren’t Responsible For Your Happiness

I follow a blog thought this was a good reminder to something I learn awhile back...Funny at one point in my life I really believed it was my husbands job to make me happy...LOL!!!

Who do you look to to make your life happy and fulfilling? Are they making the grade?
There are some people to whom you really shouldn’t delegate responsibility for your happiness. Don’t worry – there are only five.

1. Your spouse

You’ve committed yourself to your spouse for life. Doesn’t that entitle you to their undying efforts to keep you happy?
Thankfully, no.
Relying on your spouse to keep your happiness butterflies a-flutter is too much of a burden on them. Plus, it denies you one of the most valuable skills there is: the ability to make yourself happy.
Enjoy the ways your spouse contributes to your happiness, but don’t expect them to be its onlysource.

2. Your children

Isn’t it every parent’s hope to raise capable, independent children?
The way you are with them will affect the way they are in the world. Are you modeling self-responsibility or leaning a little too hard?

3. Your parents

This one tends to get inverted, with people not so much expecting parents to make them happy as blaming parents for their unhappiness.
Let’s face it though: blame is the flip-side of responsibility. If you’re blaming, you’re dodging responsibility.
However good, bad or hideous your parents were in the past, don’t let that stop you grabbing the baton and changing to a happier direction today.

4. Your employer or boss

It’s a shocking truth for any employee to face, but your personal conveniences and preferences are unlikely to be integral to your employers’ mission statement.
They are responsible for shareholders’ happiness. You are responsible for yours.

5. Your friends

As Mr T never said (but should have), “I pity the fool who expects their friends to make them happy”. Because the friends don’t stay around too long.
As with the preceding relationships, it’s too much pressure on the other person to be responsible for your happiness. Share your joys and sorrows with friends, but don’t outsource your personal fulfillment.

In short

Develop the skills of happiness for yourself – it’s a benefit to others and an asset to you. Why would you want to leave that to anyone else?
Thanks Michele Connolly for writing this up !!!

Byron Katie is an Author on my bookshelf check out her books!


Much Love,
Bridget-

1 comment: