Do you want to be happy? Obviously yes. It’s what every human being goes after. It’s what every human being fails to attain. It’s what drives everything in this world. Ain’t it?
Ask yourself. When you do something ask yourself the question ‘why?’. Keep asking this question as you go from one reason to the reason behind that reason. At the root of all this will be ‘happiness’.
We have the innate tendency within us to do and pursue things that make us happy. When we are sad or depressed, we don’t like it because they block our happiness. When we are jealous, it’s by seeing someone else being happy when we are not able to be happy. Every human emotion and action can be connected to this one thing called “happiness”.
Yet, it’s the most misunderstood, puzzling and ever eluding thing for a human. We strive and strive to get to the state called happiness without ever getting there. We start to believe that happiness is a rare entity and the it will grace is with its presence once in a while. In order to secure its presence , we keep doing action and go after certain things. But it’s high time we understand that it is not the proper way.
All the problems or sorrows of a human can be solved if this misconception is cleared. We just need to bust the myth that permanent happiness is not possible and oust the clutter and confusion surrounding this thing called happiness.
The problem lies in the fact that we attribute happiness as a thing which comes and goes based on the occurrence of a particular situation, presence of a particular person or thing, or based on a certain sensation. For example,we think we are happy when we eat an ice cream. We think the feeling which we get when we succeed in doing something humongous and gaining appreciation or fame is true happiness. We think that we are happy when we get a good grade or when we buy a certain expensive gadget.
We believe that , in order to be happy, we need to do certain things and behave in a certain way.
The truth however, remains otherwise. It is true that we get a deep sense of joy in doing certain actions or getting certain results. But it is not what gives us true happiness. In fact, owing to the fact that these sensations are temporary, it results in the ultimate cause of our sorrow and problems. When we get that feeling of joy, we want it to last. We tend to develop a possessive feeling towards that. When that disappears, it affects us and that results in sorrow. Hence , the very things and situations, to which one attributes his happiness itself tend to become the cause of sorrow at a later point of time.
So, what’s the way around? Is there a way at all to be happy?
Yes. But it requires time and practice to master it. One must start by trying to understand what true happiness is.
True happiness is that which is unconditional, not dependent and non consuming. It is a state of existence just for the sake of existence. It is a state of being, when we are able to be at peace and experience joy, irrespective of any damn situation or circumstance. It is the most basic truth of a human being and the most beautiful thing. It is that which is not attributed to or projected on something.
True happiness is when we accept the ups and downs of life as its innate nature and tendency and learn not to be dejected at the challenges that we face or be too attached to or be over joyed at the temporary experiences of victory. It happens when we make happiness a choice that we can make at any step of our life.
So,just try it. Try to be happy at the mere thought that you are living. Try to be happy just for the sake of existence. Try to be happy just for the sake of being. Make happiness a choice and it will be the most powerful one that you ever had. 😉
Originally published at medium.com