Happiness is truly an inside job. And though there is plenty outside of ourselves that can make us happy, anything external that we reach for is only a temporary fix. The best thing however is that we all have the freedom to choose happiness in how we live our lives, how we feel about ourselves, who’s in our front row and how we spend our free time.

Blaming others for our unhappiness only dismantles our personal power and in fact, negates us of any accountability. Accountability is where your personal power is as well as your freedom to choose. To be truly happy we must take life by the horns and create it as we see fit. You can choose this right now. In fact, as you ponder 2023 and create your vision you can choose entirely how you’d like to live your life going forward.

One year I decided to do something radical. I decided to fill up my entire year and life only doing what I loved and what brought me joy! From spending time with great friends and family, to attending lectures to see Michelle Obama and Oprah, I also learned how to roast Indian spices, took several cooking classes, spent a lot of time on the water with my hubby boating, travelled to warm places, enriched my spiritual life and did a whole lot of laughing and a whole lot of dancing also with great friends and family!

In her book, Choosing Happiness, one of my favorite authors, Alexandra Stoddard suggests one way to find out your life purpose and how you like to spend your time is to write down:

Then in your journal or vision book, take time to write 10 paragraphs or a few lines of why. “This will help you to be true to yourself and choices…as well as to the question, Who Am I?”

I think this is also a great way to honor yourself and to recognize the beauty of who you are. Really spend time on this as it is part of your vision work for 2023 and narrowing down all that brings you positive energy, which in turn will bring you happiness and immense joy.