“If only I had(______________), then I would be much happier.”

What would you fill in the blank with?

Love? Money? A new job? A home? A car? A vacation? A social life? Quiet time? More Time? Kids? Tiny hiney?

These are the answers that I usually hear.  And they are all valid in that all have redeeming qualities (except the last one). But, they are only temporary fixes to happiness.  We can change our external circumstances; we can altar our lifestyle so we have more time and space; we can land a big money job; and the love of our life can walk into our hearts tomorrow.  That would be fabulous, but unless we are being our truth, we will never be truly happy.

Bold, I know.  That is a big statement.  Not revolutionary.  Not really that profound.  And certainly not original.  But definitely a challenge to accept and to attain. And therefore worthy of mention and exploration.  Why is being truthful, real, and authentic such a difficult thing for we humans?

Now you might know someone who is pretty darn truthful and well intended with their white lies, but I will venture to say that the lionshare of your friends don’t act like  Buddha, Jesus, Mohamed,  or Mother Theresa.   Being truth, telling truth, living truth is sometimes excruciatingly painful, but it is always the Way.

And I say this with consideration that the audience I am addressing here is in the upper crust of higher consciousness.  If you found your way to a yoga center’s website and are taking the time to read this blog, you are a seeker of the Light.  You are already on the path to better yourself.  You are a dharma junkie of some sort, and the percentage of your social circle is more likely to be a higher level of truth seekers than the average bear.  But still, out of 100 of your friends and family, I bet at best you have 50% who fall into the category of genuinely efforting to be their truth.  That is an F.  That means 50% of your world is not being their truth.

Furthermore, unfortunately you are not the majority of web surfers.  Most people on this planet are not looking up information on yoga or Mind/Body/Spirit.  Most people are looking up football scores, shopping deals, dating websites, political posts, travel getaways,  job hunting, house hunting or stalking Facebook. They are looking to the outside to find their joy.

Joy is being truth.  Happiness comes from a pure heart. True contentment comes from loving your Self and being your Self.

What does Being your Truth look like?

It looks like Selflessness.

It looks like Compassion.

It looks like Tenderness.

It looks like Honesty.

It looks like Integrity.

It looks like Forgiveness.

It looks like Tolerance.

It looks like Equanimity.

It looks like Creativity.

It looks like Sensuality.

It looks like Courage.

It looks like Owning your Shadows.

It looks like Apologizing when we make mistakes.

It looks like Standing in your Power.

It looks like Letting Go of Guilt, Shame, and Fear

It looks like practicing yoga.

Ultimately, when we look inside and like what we see, we dwell in happiness.  When we own our faults, mistakes, and wrongdoings we liberate our soul that is bound in shame and guilt.  We can go to the mountain tops of the Himalayas to seek God, but if our heart is clouded with lies and falsehood, it matters not the austerity of your efforts because no matter where you go, there you are…”There is no god higher than truth.”  ~Mahatma Gandhi

All the great writers, philosophers, sages have been speaking of the importance of truth.  I could make a whole blog just piecing together quotes on being your truth.  But one of my favorites is from a piece from Shakespeare who wrote one of the most brilliant pieces on this subject in his tragedy Macbeth  He was trying to say that our conscience will constantly peck at us until we are Truth.  And as long as the conscience of your soul is at unrest, nothing will make you happy.  Like I said, this isn’t revolutionary, the ancients have been saying it for a long time.

“A False Face doth hide what a False Heart doth know”-Shakespeare

Be your truth and you will be deeply happy.  Happiness is an inside job.

Blessings on your path,

Katrina