06 Jul A Few Words About Happiness From Our President, Jeff Russell

Today, I wanted to talk a little bit about happiness. With all that’s going on around us, some of us may be having a hard time with this emotion. 

But, here’s the truth. 

Happiness is hard. And pursuing happiness for the sake of happiness usually results in unhappiness. It isn’t just an emotion we can snap our fingers and make happen. We have to be mindful at working to obtain happiness. 

This concept makes me think about a previous message where I shared the idea of: “It’s not easy. But it’s simple.” Happiness is not easy. You might find joy, but happiness comes from things you know that you need to do in order to be a better you. 

Happiness is not about avoiding pain; it’s about recovering from pain that helps us grow from the experience. 

Often, I ask myself, “Will this thing or action make me happy or unhappy?” Here are a few examples: 

Eating King Taco might bring me joy (and it does!) every time I eat there for a cheat meal, but if I ate them every day, it would not make me happier. Because eating healthy actually provides me with true happiness. This isn’t to say you can’t enjoy King Taco; just don’t expect it to translate to creating a happier you. 

Polishing off a dozen Bonbons while watching Game of Thrones might make you feel good in the moment, but it’s probably not helping you build happiness in your life or those around you. 

Some people convince themselves that success is the key to happiness, but that’s actually backwards. Happiness is actually the key to success. If we spend all of our time thinking, “I’ll be happy when I have the right job, more money, and buy my dream car,” we’re going to have a really tough time obtaining happiness. 

So, what happens during those times we’re just really struggling to be happy? 

My tip is to keep a gratitude journal. If you don’t have one, this one is a great starting place – The Five Minute Journal. Keeping track of what you’re grateful for is extremely helpful because it’s hard to be unhappy when you’re filled with gratitude. 

If you’re still feeling stuck, think of your loved ones. I believe we owe it to the people we love in our life to be happy. Oh, and breathing exercises can help too! 

Here’s a quote I’d like to close with by Walt Disney: 

Happiness is a state of mind. It’s just according to the way you look at things.  

So, if you need to alter your lens to look at and see things a bit differently, do that! 

And, if you need any type of escrow assistance, please reach out. Our team is here to support you! 

Life is good! — Jeff