My Simple Secret to Happiness

Tilt up your head, and hold it there -- what do you see?

Close your eyes, and absorb a heavy breath all the way down to your tummy -- how do you feel?

Stand firm, wiggle those heels deeper into the ground, and just listen to your own voice coming from within.

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This is what I like to tell people who ask me: "Eileen, how do you stay so happy and hopeful all the time?"

Some ask, because they find my outlook frustrating, unrealistic and even privileged.

"You don't have the baggage of ______ (children, family, bad job, discrimination, pressure from everywhere, etc.). That's why you can talk as if nothing weighs you down."

These people, in their minds, they've drawn the short straw in life, which is the one excuse they use for everything they believe they deserve but can't seem to achieve.

The truth is, we all have been one of these people at some point in our lives. Some of us may still be in this mindset, and some of us may return to it.

So what, if you feel bitter and unloved? It's nothing to be scared or ashamed of. It's a genuine feeling from within, so own it.

Then, use it as the ignition to drive you forward -- be honest with your fears, tackle them gently, and praise yourself along the way for having the courage to face the struggles head on, whatever the outcome.

As the title of this post says, this is my very simple secret to happiness! 

It is how I stay happy. And I am, truly.

Eileen xx

Autumn sky in London's St James's Park. © EIleen Hsieh/Follow That Bug // Cover photo by Teddy Kelley on Unsplash