What is happiness? It’s a difficult question for a lot of people, however, if you start with the things that can’t make you happy, we may be able to find the answer.
Let’s begin with the big stuff..
- If the world’s economies are doing well, will that make you happy? Most people will answer no to that question.
- If your country’s economy is doing well, will that make you happy? Same answer, no.
Let’s look at the smaller stuff.
- If you have a car that gets you from a to b and you get a newer car that does the same thing, will that make you happy? No, the happiness you experience is temporary.
- If you live in a house that’s big enough for the number of people in your family and you get a bigger house, will that make you happy? No, you’ve just got a bigger house to clean.
- If your neighbours get more new stuff all the time, will that make you happy? No, but it can help or hinder your happiness depending on your outlook. If you’re happy for them, that’s good for your happiness. If you begrudge them their good fortune, it will make you unhappy.
Family and friend’s role in your happiness.
If your family and friends are happy with the life they’ve got, will that make you happy? No, but it will help. The only gift I’ve ever wanted to give the members of my own family is that they’re happy with the lives they’ve been given. However, I know that’s one gift one person can’t give to another.
If money, things, family, and friends are not where happiness is found, where is it to be found?
As you guessed by now, happiness is found within you. It doesn’t mean everything in your life is perfect. It means that you’re content with the life you’re currently living.
The path to happiness.
- The first step on the path to achieving happiness in your own life is to imagine everybody else is happy with theirs.
- The second step is to accept your life as it is, not as you imagine it could be.
How it works.
If you imagine you’re in the middle of a lake and every time you’re emotionally unstable, you create ripples that push the things you really want away from you.
Now imagine you’re in the middle of the same lake and you’re content with where you are. The gravity you create draws everything you want towards you.
Negative emotions push things away from you. Positive emotions will attract things to you. Just remember, things will not make you happy. They’re just a sign of the happiness within you.
I’ll leave you with one final thought.
Emotional contentment is at the heart of happiness.
