Awakening Joy: 10 Steps That Will Put You on the Road to Real Happiness

Noticing when you’re acting with mixed motivations can help you sort out which ones you want to cultivate.

Sylvia Boorstein says this is like a slight shaft of sunlight peeking through the clouds in the midst of pelting rain. That sliver of light can give us the perspective to know all is not gloom and doom.

There is a direct connection between true happiness and thinking and acting with a clear mind and kind heart.

It’s like pressing “Clear” on a calculator; no matter how complex the numbers have gotten, once you press that “C” button you have a fresh start.

Seeing Yourself with Love Bring to mind someone who genuinely loves you. Imagine yourself as that person, and look at yourself through his or her eyes. What qualities do you see in yourself from that perspective? Pause a few moments to fully take in what you see. Now shift your perspective back and feel what it is like for you to have those qualiti

When you let go of how you think things should be, you can respond to challenging situations with openness and flexibility, imagining options and alternatives that can’t arise in a contracted mind.

THE FRAGRANCE OF MORALITY “In Buddhism we talk about the fragrance of morality. It means that when you practice integrity, it’s almost like you have an extraordinary divine scent around you, and you magnetize everything you are searching for—all

Engage one of your senses to return you to the moment. What do you see, hear, smell, or feel? You might listen to a favorite piece of uplifting music or take a relaxing hot bath. Let yourself sink into that experience. Imagine the frightened, sad, or confused part of you as a young child. How old is that child? Imagine holding him or her in a tende

The stories that limit you or free you are really all in your mind, and you can change them. I often give students a “prescription” to help in the process. Sometimes I write it down on a piece of paper and suggest they carry it in their wallet. “Whenever you find yourself getting reactive, withdrawn, or confused,” I tell them, “remember that you ha