You donāt know me but I hear you are going through a tough time, and I would like to help you. I want to be open and honest with you, and let you know that happiness isnāt something just afforded to a special few. It can be yours, if you take the time to let it grow.
Itās OK to be stressed, scared and sad, I certainly have been throughout my life. Iāve confronted my biggest fears time and time again. Iāve cheated death on many adventures, seen loved ones pass away, failed in business, minced my words in front of tough audiences, and had my heart broken.
I know Iām fortunate to live an extraordinary life, and that most people would assume my business success, and the wealth that comes with it, have brought me happiness. But they havenāt; in fact itās the reverse. I am successful, wealthy and connected because I am happy.
So many people get caught up in doing what they think will make them happy but, in my opinion, this is where they fail. Happiness is not about doing, itās about being. In order to be happy, you need to think consciously about it. Donāt forget the to-do list, but remember to write a to-be list too.
Kids are often asked: āWhat do you want to be when you grow up?ā The world expects grandiose aspirations: āI want to be a writer, a doctor, the prime minister.ā Theyāre told: go to school, go to college, get a job, get married, and then youāll be happy. But thatās all about doing, not being ā and while doing will bring you moments of joy, it wonāt necessarily reward you with lasting happiness.
Stop and breathe. Be healthy. Be around your friends and family. Be there for someone, and let someone be there for you. Be bold. Just be for a minute.
If you allow yourself to be in the moment, and appreciate the moment, happiness will follow. I speak from experience. Weāve built a business empire, joined conversations about the future of our planet, attended many memorable parties and met many unforgettable people. And while these things have brought me great joy, itās the moments that I stopped just to be, rather than do, that have given me true happiness. Why? Because allowing yourself just to be, puts things into perspective. Try it. Be still. Be present.
For me, itās watching the flamingos fly across Necker Island at dusk. Itās holding my new grandchild's tiny hands. Itās looking up at the stars and dreaming of seeing them up close one day. Itās listening to my familyās dinner-time debates. Itās the smile on a strangerās face, the smell of rain, the ripple of a wave, the wind across the sand. Itās the first snow fall of winter, and the last storm of summer. Itās sunrise and sunset.
Thereās a reason weāre called human beings and not human doings. As human beings we have the ability to think, move and communicate in a heightened way. We can cooperate, understand, reconcile and love, thatās what sets us apart from most other species.
Donāt waste your human talents by stressing about nominal things, or that which you cannot change. If you take the time simply to be and appreciate the fruits of life, your stresses will begin to dissolve, and you will be happier.
But donāt just seek happiness when youāre down. Happiness shouldnāt be a goal, it should be a habit. Take the focus off doing, and start being every day. Be loving, be grateful, be helpful, and be a spectator to your own thoughts.
Allow yourself to be in the moment, and appreciate the moment. Take the focus off everything you think you need to do, and start being ā I promise you, happiness will follow.
