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Circumstances don't cause happiness

"The fact that our circumstances have limited power to make us happy has been documented in the research; but if you think about it for a minute, you already know this from your observations while standing at the check-out counter at any grocery store.  Look at the magazine headlines and you will see rich, beautiful, accomplished, famous, slim, and successful people, but with all sorts of unhappiness, from relational turmoil to drug abuse and overdose, and even suicide.  If circumstantial things could bring us lasting happiness, we would not be seeing those sad headlines.  And the flip side is this: if circumstantial things and events are the sources of happiness, why are there so many happy people who don't have many of those things going for them?  In fact, studies have shown that the happiness levels between rich people and average-income people is not that different.  The findings say that once a certain safety and sustenance level has been reached, more money is not going to bring much more happiness." - Henry Cloud in The Law of Happiness

Circumstances are wonderful when they happen but they only account for 10 percent of our happiness.  As in the above paragraph, getting your dreams come true in fame and fortune do not cause permanent happiness.

Renee Madison, MA, LPC, CSAT is a counselor in Colorado.  She can be reached for appointments at 303-257-7623 or 970-324-6928.
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