Welcome back to Monday’s Mindful Quote. If you are new to this, here’s the concept behind it. Every Monday I’m going to cite a quote or a poem that is related to mindfulness and psychotherapy in some way and then explore it a bit and how it is relevant to our lives. For me, quotes and poetry can often sink me into a state of greater understanding.

Here’s is a quote from the blog post 10 Quotes for a Mindful Day by the influential author and mindfulness teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh:

“There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way.”

It can sometimes seem like we are on a lifetime quest to achieve happiness. “Once I find my soul mate, then I’ll be happy” or “If I get that promotion, then I’ll be happy” or “Once I’m making this or that income, then I’ll be happy.” Woven within the mere thought itself is a sense of being “less than” you want to be and therefore makes you less happy than you were before that thought even arrived.

Some might argue that it’s not the conditions of our lives that make us happy (although some can certainly help at times), it’s the way we relate to ourselves and our lives that provide the happiness. It’s the way we walk through life.

In other words, we’re always practicing something. If we spend our time wrestling with negative, excessive worrying, or hopeless thoughts, we’re practicing unhappiness. If we spend our time noticing and acknowledging these unhelpful habits of the mind, without judgment, we can then choose to turn our attention to matters that walk in line with greater happiness and sense of peace.

In the realm of behavioral therapy, a therapist might say, “what would you be doing differently if you were happy?” Some people might answer, “I’d be smiling more” or “I’d be riding my bike” or “I’d be spending giving more to others.” Then the response from the therapist would be, “now let’s put these into action.”

Sometimes we need to put our feet in front of our heads and then our thoughts and emotions will follow. We don’t have to climb Mount Everest, but if all you can do is take even one step in that direction, it can make a difference.

Try: What would you do if you were happy or what have you done when you’ve been happy? Write these things down and begin practicing them. Don’t take my word for it, try it yourself and see what happens.

Please share your thoughts, stories, and questions below. Your interaction here provides a living wisdom for us all to benefit from.

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Related Posts

• Create Calm in Your Life Today: Mondays Mindful Quote with Thich Nhat Hanh
• 10 (More) Quotes for a Mindful Day
• Mindfulness and Psychotherapy Suggestion Box: What Would You Like More of in 2010
• 10 Quotes for a Mindful Day
• Living Without Joy? Thich Nhat Hanh Shares a Secret

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    Last reviewed: 3 Aug 2009