Let’s take a moment, just for yourself. A moment to pause, breathe deeply, and look inwards. Shall we?
“Setting.” It’s a word that’s become second nature in this digital world, hasn’t it? When we want to change something on our phones, we head straight to Settings. The same applies to our laptops and all sorts of gadgets. Settings give us the power to customise, to shape an environment that feels just right for us.
But what if I told you that, just like those devices, you have your own settings too? Yes, within your mind and heart, there’s a place where your life is guided – a place where your story unfolds based on the settings you’ve chosen, consciously or not.
There’s a bit of a challenge here, though, isn’t there? Unlike your phone, there’s no simple control panel in our minds. We can’t just tap a button to change our mood or adjust our mindset. However, if we don’t become aware of these inner settings, they’ll run on old patterns – habits we’ve picked up along the way, from childhood or perhaps even passed down through generations.
And then there’s your Happiness Setting. What does happiness mean to you? Take a moment to sit with that question. Often, when I ask this, people say things like, “Happiness… it’s hard to come by, but maybe if I had a bit more money…” or, “I’ll be happy when my loved ones are happy.” These answers, while sincere, often feel vague, like looking at a foggy horizon. If your Happiness Setting is unclear, then your experience of happiness will be unclear too.
So, what if you made it a bit more specific, a bit more defined? If you took the time to truly explore your Happiness Settings? Let’s explore that together, shall we? 
How to Find Your Happiness Setting: A Journey Within
Step 1:
Find a quiet spot and grab a piece of paper. At the top, write: “My Happiness is (your answer).”
Step 2:
Now, gently ask yourself, again and again. Beneath that line, write: “(your answer above) is ______.” Repeat this for about 10 rounds, each time questioning the answer you wrote before. Let each response flow from your heart, without judgement.
Step 3:
The answer you reach in that final line? That is your current Happiness Setting.
Here’s an example to guide you through:
Step 1: My Happiness is (my feelings).
Step 2:
- My feelings are (how I think).
- How I think is (any way I can).
- Any way I can is (freedom).
- Freedom is (infinite).
- Infinite is (everywhere).
- Everywhere is (something anyone can touch).
- Something anyone can touch is (never lost).
- Never lost is (always within reach).
- Always within reach is (a gift I can receive at any moment).
- A gift I can receive at any moment is (my choice in that moment).
Step 3: My Happiness is “My Choice in That Moment.”
What did you find your Happiness Setting to be? The beauty of this practice is that it’s uniquely yours. There’s no right or wrong, no perfect or imperfect Happiness Setting. What matters is that you see it written down, that you hold it gently in your awareness, and that you honour whatever words come to light.
Place your Happiness Setting somewhere you can see it – a little reminder that the story of your life is always unfolding, following the path you’ve set. And remember, you have the power to adjust and reset it whenever you wish.
