The Pursuit of Happiness

In this uplifting episode, I delve into the essence of happiness and what it truly means to me. Join me as I explore the concept of happiness beyond surface-level joy, sharing my personal beliefs and insights on cultivating a fulfilling life. I’ll introduce you to two powerful practices that have transformed my mindset and can help you shift your focus toward the positive aspects of life. Whether you’re seeking to enhance your daily joy or navigate through tough times, these actionable strategies will empower you to embrace the good and foster a lasting sense of well-being. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that might just change the way you view happiness!


Free Everyday Affirmations EBook

Words that Manifest 

Transcript

Theresa Cesare: 0:06

Hey guys. Welcome to Heart to Talk the podcast. I am the host and creator Theresa Cesare My intention for this podcast is to deliver to you wisdom, inspiration, and consciousness. Through solo episodes and conversations amongst insightful people. It is my greatest honor to bring to you talks that come from the.

0:33

Hey, amazing listeners. Thank you so much for tuning into this episode and joining me. If you are new to Heart to Talk, welcome. And if you've been on this journey, thank you so much for being part of my community and just being on this journey with me and being a witness to the evolution of this podcast and myself. And I'm sure you are evolving along the way with me. So thank you. Thank you for just your time and energy. Every time I launch an episode, a solo episode, I should say, it's inspired by a topic that I'm just passionate about in the moment or perhaps something that I've overcome and I have found some ways to like overcome and I share with you all just the concept or the principle and give you the tips and tools and how to, overcome whatever it is. And I struggled for a little bit, for this. episode because I just did not feel the hit of inspiration. And that is why this podcast is called Heart to Talk because One thing that I committed to, when I started this podcast is that every episode will literally come from my heart or will come from the heart of whoever I bring on. So the heart is the epicenter of our souls, inspiration. are the consciousness, it's authenticity, and it's where we all can connect from just heart power is extremely powerful. And I believe just magic. And, and so I like to really operate from that place. And so finally this morning, while I was on my run, it came to me, the topic and it's happiness. Right. We all want happiness. There's a pursuit of happiness that we're all on. And in my own journey, and just especially recently, I had realized I just had allowed circumstances to steal my joy, steal happiness from me and in one particular area, and so if you are listening and you currently are maybe struggling with joy and happiness, or maybe you have happiness in one area, but not all areas. It doesn't matter where you are, like on the happiness spectrum. I do feel like this episode will give you some value. And so I will claim that I, I will say that I generally am a totally happy person. That's just the kind of like my personality is I put on the smile, you know, but underneath, right, I might struggle with some deep rooted beliefs or pressures or allow just the outside world to pull the rug from the potential of happiness that I. Can have and live out. Right. And so I want to start with just defining happiness. So when you hear the word happiness, what does it mean to you? What does happiness mean? Now, I believe that there is the internal happiness and then we have the external. And I want to start with just internal. So like, for me, I would define it as just peace. Being in my power and having just full energy to just show up every day, feeling positive about where I am and at peace with my choices. I feel happiness as being in alignment with like my values and what's important to me. And I noticed that when I don't feel happiness, The internal piece, it's usually one of those have been compromised, right? And for the external happiness is, Oh my gosh, like my kids, number one, when they thrive, that makes my internal happiness literally go to like the next level that is like, number one, seeing my kids. You know, happy, external happiness. When my business is doing good, when I have a breakthrough, when these alignments are happening, that gives me just extreme happiness and joy. When I get to be invited to these incredible experiences, events, you know, opportunities that brings me happiness. When my work, the nine to five, which I have in addition to the brand and business that I'm building. That I like to say funds what I'm building, but also has been a source of great opportunity in lessons being learned and giving me really the tools to help me really show up in my business in life because I have the opportunity to practice leadership, and just so many different, things that really has helped me in my business. So I know I'm supposed to be there for now. But when all of those areas are doing really well, that definitely indicates the level of happiness I have. But what happens to all of us and myself, right, is when those external happinesses, right, like love, like relationships, the job, finances, or just anything outside of us isn't going well, it definitely can pull us out of that happy state. And so recently, I had had just a circumstance, where, Oh my gosh, it was so draining and to where it became my focus. So what happens is when we allow. The obstacle, the contrast in life, because that's always, no matter what is going to always be there, right? When we allow that to dictate. Our happiness. That's when we get into trouble I love the way Deepak Chopra stated this. He says, be happy for no reason, like a child. If you're happy for a reason, you're in trouble because that reason can be taken from you. And so I have to remember that. And that's literally kind of how I got back into my power and back in alignment with internal happiness is where I'm not going to be happy for a reason, but I'm going to be happy. Because I know that I have everything I need. I have peace and that I'm in my power and those are most important, right? That I protect my energy. And from that source, it doesn't matter what happens outside of me because I know that my internal happiness is protected, grounded. And, one thing I will tell you is happiness is a choice. And so if you're waking up and you're like not happy and you're frustrated over and over, and it's okay, like we're human. Sometimes you're going to get knocked out. You got to honor that little feeling, but pull yourself back and realize, wow, I am not choosing happiness. And not only that, but like, it's one thing to choose it. But the second piece to that is feeling actually deserving and worthy of that happiness. And so what happens is a lot of us never get to feel fully happy. Like within, right? We just fully rely on that external happiness and things outside of us to bring us joy, which can be taken away. And it's a very competing energy because if you are like, I want to be happy, but you don't believe you deserve happiness and love. You're never going to get it. You're going to always attract like toxic dynamic and relationships because you're believing that you don't get to fully be happy in love. Same thing with the job. If you don't feel like you deserve a job that pays you really well and that you get to be happy and you believe that you have to suffer, you're going to continuously get that. But now it's really important to realize though, if you are unhappy with a relationship, a job, a situation, you don't ignore what your intuition is telling you, because I do believe you should, focus on the good, turn things in your favor as often as you can, because a lot of times the way to finding happiness is having a positive mindset, but in that same Discomfort is also A message for you when you're unhappy somewhere, it's a sign. So it's either a sign for you to change your mindset around it or change the situation. And, it's up to you to realize, Oh, you know what? I'm repeatedly not happy in this job and so this is my intuition saying, I've got to pivot in my power. And what does that look like or in a relationship? I don't believe that you should stay in something, just because you feel stuck, because stuck is such a low vibe. energy and no one is ever stuck. You choose to feel stuck. You choose where you are. But back to happiness. Happiness is a choice and you wake up every day and you get to decide. I choose happiness in this relationship. I choose happiness in my job and in my life. And if you don't feel that way, I'm going to tell you the two powerful things to do. And the first one is invite gratitude, practice gratitude. Now people say it all the time, but I'm going to give you some ways to kind of think of gratitude and a fun, different, unique, approach to practicing it. And this is what I do for myself. So for example, I've had for my personal, kind of happiness being compromised in my world, I've, been pulled back out of happiness in some respect because I started to focus on the things in this particular area of my life. that were draining. And then I started to fixate on how can I get myself out of this? I hate it. I resented it. And it really started to expand. So like what you focus on will grow, right? Even if it's not what you want, but if you're really putting your energy of like. Your debt or the shitty relationship or the job you hate and you start fixating on that even though it may be valid Maybe it is a bad relationship or a job. That is not like where you need to be anymore But that is not the solution on how to pivot and how to find joy and how to get to a new level Or place and so what I started to do was in this specific area Was write five things that I am grateful for for this specific area And even though at that moment, at the beginning of when you start this practice, you don't see it at one point, the thing that you're upset about, or that's in your reality was something you once prayed for. And that's what I had to realize, like this one thing, at one time was something that was a source of joy and was something I prayed for. So coming back to that energy and being like, wow, these are the amazing things that this gives to me and I wrote it out and it was so powerful. And the second thing was, resentment I had for a particular person that wronged me but I'm like, I allowed myself to get in the energy of becoming a victim of I see it. I see that I've allowed myself to feel, feel victimized and I see this pain and you know, honor it, but pull yourself back and elevate your energy and What was the, the gratitude in there? What did this one person actually do for me? Once upon a time, that was incredible. And so I started to focus on this person and really recount with my heart. Like, wow, I remember how grateful at this, he did this or this happened. And, and wow, it just shifted that energy and healed. And I was able to reclaim my happiness that I have in these, one area and in that. And in healing and letting go and, because in order to really get to like that next level of your joy, your happiness or peace, it's so important to not be trapped or victimized by, anything from your past. And gratitude is a powerful way to pivot So when you can change the way you think and feel about a person or situation, you immediately attract from that person or situation that new energy. And second thing is write down, before going to bed, what was the best thing that happened that day? And sometimes I set my, alarm, on my phone to go off at three o'clock and I'm like, Oh, midday, best thing that happened. And then I will be like, okay, what happened so far? That was amazing. And it's incredible because it focuses your mind on what's good and you instantly vibrate higher and you instantly become happy. And that's what gratitude does. Just, it focuses on what is good, what is available, what is showing up for you versus what is lacking. And not being happy really is the opposite. When we're not happy is usually when we're focused on what we're lacking versus on what's working out for us, what is good in our lives. And the next powerful practice is affirmations. We're constantly affirming things, every word, every thought we are saying affirmations essentially, right? But not all of them are positive or empowering. We as humans, I want to say 70, 000 thoughts that come into our mind throughout a day. And so that's why it's really powerful to notice what are your automatic thoughts and not only what your thoughts are, but then what are you like saying out loud? every thought creates an emotion and every emotion creates an outcome of some sort. From that energy of the emotion. We draw that into our reality, right? So if I'm thinking, today is going to be like the worst day ever. I am so tired. You get that emotion that matches that thought, and then you get the outcome that matches that emotion. I believe affirmations are the most powerful tool to shift any situation, So with happiness, choose it. And, I've got some powerful affirmations that you can use. I choose to be happy no matter what. I deserve happiness no matter what. I will do what it takes to cultivate happiness. I am responsible for my happiness. And it's so important to claim it. Like literally, because sometimes it's just not automatic. And that's how we operate. life doesn't necessarily come from what you choose every day. It comes from those automatic habits and thoughts and responses that are at the subconscious level. And that's why affirmations are so powerful so if you currently don't like, what you're experiencing every day, what you're attracting, look at what you're thinking about. Look at where you're focused. Right. And if you just start with that and changing one area, you will start to experience things differently. Using positive affirmations is the, I am, I will, they're the declarative in the present tense statements that will help you just choose your thoughts, consciously choose them every day so that you can literally Rewire your brain as a computer and you can program What you want in it. And if you don't like your current program, again, invite those positive affirmations. I have a lot, as a matter of fact, in the show notes of this episode. I'm going to put in the link for my free everyday affirmations ebook. I have over 80 affirmations by category. So like positive day, love, prosperity and in start there and literally repeat them. And first thing in the morning, just decide, I choose happiness. I will think and speak positivity. I will focus on the good. And you just tell your subconscious mind that that's what you'll do. So that'll be your automatic responses. And then you match. what you're claiming, match the habits that go with it, surround yourself with anything and everything that's going to support what you're deciding you want to claim in this reality and today. In addition to practicing gratitude and affirmations is you want to take care of your basic needs. Now it sounds just so basic, but for me, like there was a point too, during this whole cycle of when I was becoming drained and not feeling as happy in certain spaces, Areas of life and I'd realized I wasn't taking care of my basic needs and for me that was I wasn't drinking enough water And I wasn't taking my iron supplement. I have like I'm like extremely anemic and Even like eating like we're not robots, we are humans. As you, set yourself up every day towards the pursuit of, true happiness is taking care of your basic needs. And then the final is bring joy everywhere. Have fun everywhere. All the time. Have fun doing the mundane, like house chores, have fun paying your bills. Those are the things we gotta do, must get done. And a lot of times the energy of being resentful for the bill or having to clean your house, go, to the doctor's appointment, but like turn the whole thing. With around the energy of it with gratitude, And your positive affirmations. Like, I am so grateful for the mortgage I have in the rent because this house provides for me the space to raise my family, a space of belonging, shelter, safety, your car payments, like this car gets me to all the places I need to get to and want to get to, Happiness isn't a destination. It's not anything that's outside of us and it's not even a constant state, but rather a practice and something we cultivate. It's a way of experiencing life. It's found in small moments of joy and having a positive mindset. The connections we nurture and in the gratitude we cultivate. Before you close your eyes tonight. Reflect on the best thing that has happened today. Focusing on the good not only enhances your happiness, but also prepares you for a positive tomorrow. And remember, each morning is a new opportunity. So use those powerful affirmations to set the tone for your day, to set up your goals, to manage your emotions and elevate your energy. Affirmations are more than just words. They are powerful declarations that shape your reality. As Buddha wisely said, what you think you become, what you feel you attract, what you imagine you create. Make it a daily practice to affirm your worth, your dreams, your vision, your potential and capacity for happiness. Thank you so much for joining me today. Now, don't forget to check out the show notes for the link to my free ebook of everyday affirmations. And the link for my upcoming masterclass words that manifest that will be held virtually on January 5th. And right now there's an early bird discount. this is a great starting place. If you're new to manifestation and affirmations, or even if you're seasoned, it's a powerful, powerful class words that manifest. I hope to see you there. until next time, let's all keep choosing happiness one moment at a time.

Theresa Cesare: 21:13

Thank you so much for tuning into this episode. Please download, rate, subscribe, and share this podcast. Also, be sure to visit my theresacesare.com to check out my inspirational merch, connect to my social accounts, and much more may you continue to be filled with wisdom, inspiration, and consciousness. Otherwise, friends, I will be back in two weeks for another episode of Heart to.