Understanding Happiness

Today, I bring to you the topic of happiness, a simple word with many possibilities.

Happiness - a journey or a destination?

A friend posted this question on Instagram - Did you wake up happy today? And it got me thinking. What does happiness mean? Is it a journey or a destination?

I believe we don’t fully understand what it means and still find ourselves spending our whole life seeking it. Everything we do, is to feel happy and content with our life, with ourselves, in the present moment. And when we manage to achieve it, it is momentary and doesn’t always last. Perhaps because it is attached to an outcome. Is it possible to be happy all the time? Why does one strive so hard for a fleeting moment that doesn't last very long?

A personal belief is that Happiness is a state of mind. It's a choice we make over and over again, no matter what the external situation. It's an internal choice one makes consciously, and purposefully.

And that also gets me to wonder, In the pursuit of happiness am I dismissing the sorrow completely? I guess I am…, aren't I? And, isn’t there a lot to learn from sorrow as well?

To understand this better, I would like to read a small extract from the book – No Mud no Lotus – The art of transforming suffering by Thich Nhat Hanh:

This is how it goes…

We try so hard to be happy. Almost as if it is a destination to reach. It is impossible to be happy all the time. Where’s the fun in that? Only when we go through something that triggers negative emotions in us do we start to value the positive ones. Same applies to happiness. Where there is happiness, suffering is bound to be there as well. Duality exists in everything in life. The sooner we accept that the easier it becomes.

All that is required for us to do is acknowledge, embrace and understand our suffering. And with a bit of self-work we will be able to transform our suffering into understanding, compassion and joy!

Isn’t that beautifully written and explained in such simple words.

Life constantly puts us in situations which requires us to expand our comfort zones, and understand ourselves better. And in that process, we figure out what kind of sorrow we want to deal with. What we know for sure is that Suffering is inevitable and we always have a choice, to choose what we can deal with and what is not in our control.

So what is then required is Acceptance and an open mind to learn from it and grow. Happiness is also there in these smaller decisions we make while going through our sufferings.

Also, If we are happy all the time we are just pretending and being superficial. Because true growth happens only when we learn to grow through our obstacles and constantly make a choice to be happy even through pain.

Life gets hard and we all fight battles within ourselves, let's not give up and instead hold on to hope. There is always something to hold on to…. Please look for it and don't give up. Find the courage in you and constantly choose happiness time and again, even through a battle within you. There is light at the end of the tunnel, I promise.

Here are three things to get your started:

• Set an intention for the day: “I choose to be happy today and deal with everything that comes my way from a place of Happiness.” Repeat this as many times as you’d like during the day.

• Visualise: If you have a feeling of something not working in your favor, visualise your response to it. Picture yourself responding to the situation in a calm and composed manner, rather than an impulsive reaction.

• Practice gratitude: This one is a no brainer. There is always something to be thankful for. Start and end your day by writing down 3 things you are grateful for.

So, start your ‘Choosing happiness’ journey today.

Peace & Presence

Kiran

Your partner in the HealingQuest