Everybody wants to be happy. You would tend to think that being happy is are true nature, our raison d’etre. But then, sometimes, you can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness, not wanting to come out of it, despite feeling miserable about it. Admit it, you have all been there.
Happiness, unlike what many say, has its sources in materialistic stuff. The radio might not make you happy, but your favorite song being played on the radio makes you ooze oxytocin like crazy. The very sight of a relative might piss you off, but his cute just-born will stretch your lips as wide as it can be stretched. Happiness has its sources in People, Places, Animals and Things. Trust me, the entire world is TRYING to make you happy. But if that’s true, why are you so miserable all the time? That is because, at any given point of time, you CHOOSE a PARTICULAR aspect to make you happy. You expect your lover to show up with flowers but when he doesn’t, even the dog licking at your feet will not lift your spirits. If your salary isn’t credited by the month’s end, even your wife-in-sexy-lingerie cannot make you rise to the occasion <pun intended>. YOU DECIDE who or what is going to make you happy. Your miserable state isn’t because the world is not beautiful, but because you choose to be blind enough to not see it. Life can get as ugly as it can be beautiful. But you wear tinted glasses that hide the beautiful stuff that is hiding in plain sight. You expect happiness from a particular source, and if that source meets your expectations, then you become happy. If not, you are oblivious to the rest of the lovely stuff that is happening around you.
Not just that, you make life miserable for people around you as well. Your mum may have made your favorite dish, but your eyes would still be wet from that last break-up. Down the drain, goes your mum’s loving efforts. Your friend makes a fool of himself, just to cheer you up, but you are unable to see that because you are stuck in a pathetic place at work. Your lover tries to be understanding, but you only get more pissed off at her, because there is no one else to vent your anger on. Your pet dog wags its tails vigorously at you and wants to play Fetch with you, but you only groan that you have had a tired day at work. Chances are you will make a pathetic dad/mum to your kids if you are going to continue this.
Remember, Happiness begets success. Now that you know this, how do you get yourself to stop feeling miserable? Knowing the root cause of the problem is half victory. So one strategy is to widen your sources of happiness. Make yourself consciously aware that there will be MORE THAN ONE THING that will make you happy. No matter what you are feeling miserable about, remember that some other thing will make you happy, and look for it. Chances are that you will find it more often than you wont. Always know that your wife is that one soul, whose very sight will make you happy. Always know that if a dog wags its tail, it is happy to see you and you have a duty to return the sentiment. Always remember that a whiff of jasmine flower is enough to bring a new meaning to your life and surround yourself with pleasing scents. Crave for happiness from more than one source. Respond positively to someone who is genuinely trying to make you happy – don’t give them the cold shoulder. Go out, get some fresh air. Do something, do anything, but be happy. Every little thing can make you happy
Ideas Without Boundaries 