What It Really Means to Be Happy with Kristina Mand-Lakhiani
— EPISODE 39 —
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What does it mean to be happy? That’s a powerful question that we’re exploring in this episode.
Today’s Unconditionally Worthy guest is Kristina Mand-Lakhiani, Co-Founder of Mindvalley, an online platform that supports personal, professional, and spiritual growth and transformation. I’ve taken courses, or “quests”, on Mindvalley and have found them to be incredibly helpful, so there’s no doubt you’re in for a real treat with this conversation!
In this episode, Kristina and I talk about what it truly means to be happy, the intersections between happiness and embracing your unconditional self-worth, and what it looks like to commit to practices that provide you sustained happiness in your life.
Even though your life may be perfectly Instagramable, are you really happy?
That’s a question Kristina came to ask herself in her 40s, yes, her 40s! Turns out, she seemingly “had it all” but realized that she wasn’t truly happy. So, she sacrificed her picture-perfect life for the pursuit of happiness.
When you’re grounded in your worthiness, you’re more willing to let go of the things that aren’t bringing happiness and fulfillment in life.
Oftentimes, when we have a choice between following our heart and doing what society expects of us, we lean towards pursuing the path that society considers the successful path. Kristina believes the issue here is that society’s definition of success is very linear and we think following our hearts is a gamble… yet there is no guarantee. Success doesn’t inherently make us happy.
At the end of the day, we get to make our own choices in life. We get to choose to focus on and explore what makes us happy.
What is happiness?
Kristina doesn’t generally tell people what she thinks happiness is because happiness is a very personal phenomenon. “Happiness is definitely when you are at peace with yourself, it’s definitely when you are at peace with what you have in your life, and that is something that only you know. I don’t know what makes you happy,” she says.
Kristina does like to tell people what happiness isn’t… Happiness isn’t perfection, it isn’t an emotion (it’s a state), and it isn’t secondary. “It’s not a prize at the end of the road, it’s something important and if it is important, you might as well prioritize it,” she says. “Can you be happy not despite everything that happens in life but through it and with it? That’s the question for me… If you want to figure out happiness, you have to take life as it is in all its expressions… including the painful ones.”
How do you start cultivating happiness?
Cultivating strong foundations of self-worth and self-love are essential parts of happiness. Happiness is not fueled by hating oneself and sometimes practicing self-care, it’s fueled by learning to be at peace with yourself, your environment, and your life. Happiness is cultivated by learning how to truly love yourself.
It’s usually the self-criticism that leaves us stuck on the couch feeling unhappy, so get curious about how self-love, accountability, and acceptance can boost your feelings of happiness and contentment. Be kind and compassionate to yourself for one week and see what happens!
As this journey will bring up lots of emotions, some we might not even be able to identify, Kristina recommends learning about emotional literacy. Learning the ABC’s of emotional growth will help you move through and accept your emotions more easily and compassionately.
And ask yourself…
How do you see yourself?
How do you treat yourself?
How do you show up for and with yourself?
How are you loving yourself on a deeper level?
What makes YOU happy?
About Kristina Mand-Lakhiani:
Kristina Mand-Lakhiani is the Co-founder of Mindvalley and has been in the personal transformation industry for over 17 years. She is an incredibly talented international speaker, entrepreneur, artist, philanthropist, and a mother of 2 kids.
Kristina is also the author of a transformational quest, "7 Days To Happiness" and "Live By Your Own Rules.” Kristina talks about personal transformation, authenticity, understanding and accepting oneself, and a path to happiness.
She was recognized as one of the Top 10 influential people online making a difference in the world today and was awarded the Influencers For Change (IFC) by the Global Impact Creators (GIC).
To connect further with Kristina Mand-Lakhiani:
Visit her website: https://kristinamand.com
Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinamand
Connect with her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinamand
Connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-mand-lakhiani-73168414
Watch the full video interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jTqiT7eoA3k
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