The biggest barrier to happiness.

When we think about happiness, we think of things.

Cars.
Gadgets.
Clothes.

Or people, like romantic partners or friends.
Or situations, like winning the lottery or getting the job we want.

But over time, we come to see that even when we have those things, something still feels like it's missing. Why are we happy when we have what we want?

Well, it's a trick question. Because if what we want keeps changing, we could never find true happiness. We could keep thinking that it's over THERE! or over HERE! down the tunnel where we find the cheese we've associated with true inner peace.

But without gratitude and self-love, nothing ever feels quite like enough. In fact, the biggest barrier to happiness isn't a lack of the people, places or things we think will bring us joy. It's actually self-denigration. The biggest barrier to happiness is how we treat ourselves, including how we talk to ourselves and let others talk to and treat us. When we disrespect ourselves and allow others to do it, it is what limits our happiness.

The quickest way to be happy is to catch ourselves doing this and STOP IT (with love, of course) and point it out when others are doing it. We could say, "I'll be happy when so-and-so starts respecting me," but YIKES! Because what if that person never wakes up and changes in time to do that? (Most people won't.)

What do we do instead?

I think you know the answer now. ;)