Where is Happiness?
Happiness and self-development are like two sides of the same coin. They are deeply intertwined and can be seen as a continuous journey of growth and fulfillment.
Happiness is a subjective feeling of joy, contentment, and satisfaction with one's life. It's a state of well-being that encompasses positive emotions, life satisfaction, and a sense of meaning or purpose.
Self-development is the ongoing process of improving oneself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Where is Happiness?
Ah, the age-old question! Unfortunately, happiness isn't a place you can find on a map. It's an internal state of being, a feeling of joy, contentment, and fulfillment that can arise from many different sources. To answer your question, I need to understand what "happiness" means to you.
Do you ever feel like every day is the same, with no excitement or new experiences? Some people find themselves stuck in a monotonous cycle, working hard to earn money for leisure activities that pass by too quickly. In an attempt to break the boredom, they turn to temporary thrills like alcohol, drugs, or sex. While these may provide a momentary excitement, they ultimately leave them feeling empty and craving the next high. Perhaps you've witnessed this scene before: two old men discussing their plans to visit a red-light district, one even borrowing money to fulfill his desires. This pattern of seeking greater thrills and highs leads to a downward spiral, wasting time, energy, and money instead of building success.
To truly find fulfillment in life, everyone needs a sense of drive, anticipation, and excitement.
If we don't know how to achieve this naturally, we may turn to vices to artificially stimulate these feelings. However, true happiness comes from within. If we can't fulfill our desires, the alternative is to let go of them. The Buddha taught that all desire leads to suffering because we crave what we don't have. But is this yearning self-created or imposed on us by the outside world? While others may flaunt their luxuries and experiences, we ultimately create this yearning within ourselves and have the power to control or release it.
Lord Richard Layard, a leading happiness researcher, explains that happiness is a balance between our expectations and what we actually attain. We can either strive to get what we want or learn to appreciate and be content with what we already have. Many of our desires are misplaced, believing that fulfilling them will bring us happiness. However, these desires only provide temporary pleasure. We don't need to satisfy our desires to be happy; we simply need to let go of them. Do we need the attention of the opposite sex or to engage in sexual activities to be happy? As we age, our bodies change, and our desires may lessen. Do we need to wait until we have a million dollars to be happy? Research shows that beyond a certain income level, higher earnings do not guarantee greater happiness.
The people who genuinely feel good every day without resorting to vices share one common characteristic:
They have a dream and a clear sense of purpose in life. This purpose drives them and gives meaning to their existence. They have discovered their soul's calling and are fully living life by following it. This is different from those who drown themselves in parties and temporary pleasures, mistaking it for living when it's actually a form of self-destruction.
Where is Happiness?
If you want to find true meaning and happiness in life, you must uncover your life's purpose. Each of us has a unique destiny and a path specifically designed for us. By following this path, we find paradise. Ignoring it only leads to wasting time and life itself.
Here are four steps to uncovering your purpose and creating a fulfilling life:
1. Understand your talents, strengths, and abilities.
2. Craft a vision for yourself and visualize your dream.
3. Create a plan with goals and actions to achieve them.
4. Share your dreams with close friends and commit to taking five actions each day to build your dream.
When you see that your actions are creating results, it becomes a natural source of excitement and inspiration. Instead of wasting time, energy, and money on vices, you invest in creating a positive cycle of success. By releasing your desire for temporary pleasures, you break free from bad habits. By choosing to live your purpose and answer your soul's calling, you escape the monotony and find truth, meaning, and happiness in life.
