The one question to which almost every human being will have the same answer is the simplest yet complicated issue in this World. The question is, "Are you looking for happiness?"
I am sure you know the answer to that question is, and on the face of it, we all also know what makes us happy, yet we are always on the lookout. We do so many things day in and day out to feel satisfied, yet we are forever in the pursuit of true happiness. Have you ever thought about why this happens? Why even after doing our best, joy remains elusive?
The answer to those questions is this natural tendency of ours to look for happiness outside of us. We all have made some or the other reason, outside of us, that we think will make us happy in life that could be our job/career, relationships, material possessions, travelling the World, and what not! Even though these things do give us happiness, that feeling is quite fleeting. The biggest problem here is that we have already outsourced our happiness.
Technically, there is nothing wrong with these things even, but as most of these are external factors, they cannot give us lasting joy. Your next question might be, where do we find that everlasting happiness that emanates from the heart and is radiated in the world.
Well, that happiness comes from within us! Firstly, understanding and accepting the fact that truly, our happiness is in our own hands because the one person who knows you the best and the one who will never leave your side no matter what, is YOU!
Finding who you are...
The biggest happiness in life is knowing who you truly are, what all makes life worthwhile for you. And when we know who we are at the core of our being, that is when we can live meaningful lives, doing things that support our goals, that make us feel happy in being who we are.
It is as simple as this, you know what you truly want, in every moment, you know how anything will make you feel, you know what sparks the joy in your eyes and soul. So, it makes perfect sense that you take charge of your happiness, and work for it.
If you are a person with a good amount of self-awareness, I am pretty sure you know most of the things that make you feel true contentment. That list may also have the things that give temporary happiness, but you know it deep inside your heart that some things are there which will never be found outside, and you have a clear idea of what those are. But, if you don't know what those things are, then my first suggestion would definitely be that you find those.
Notice each day what makes you smile without effort, if need be, silence your mind for a bit by cutting off the outside noise to connect with yourself, and ask within, what makes me happy. Chances are, you will find those answers, maybe at the exact time or even later, just be ready to find the new sources of your joy, because you have asked the Universe or God (as you may like to call it), and you will certainly get the answers.
When you find those sources, you can start to get into the habit of consciously and actively making those a part of your life and do those things as often as possible. This may start small, and you may give ten minutes each day to do at least one thing from that list, and slowly you can build on the others. The more you get into the habit of doing tasks for your happiness, the more it will increase in general for you, very much even without you knowing. I know, this sounds more like a process than a quick-fix, but that is exactly what I was trying to point out. The pursuit of happiness is a lifelong journey, and you will keep finding more reasons to be happy in life if you are on that path.
Building up your dream life...
Once you find the way to your happiness which is more of a skill that can be built, you are more likely to create a life in accordance with the things that are for your highest good. Whether that is practicing your craft to become an expert, playing with your kids, or meditating for an hour each day; self-awareness about building your inner happiness will bring you a lot of peace and general contentment.
An interesting aspect of being on this journey (the one that makes you find and build inner happiness) is that, when problems arise, (which certainly will, because life will never be only sunshine), you will be better equipped to deal with the lows and will know what you can do once the storm sways, to come to your happy place. Also, the strength that comes from living a happy life, in general, will make you look for solutions to those problems sooner than you expected.
The confidence in knowing that it is you, who is making your life better, and you are not solely dependent on an outside source to bring joy to you, gives you wings that carry you towards a life that is being built by your personal choices; the choice of being happy for and by yourself, the choice of becoming a better person each day, the choice of spending time with the people and doing the things you love. That is when you will truly be choosing happiness, the one that is always going to come from your heart and soul.
Hoping that you find your true inner happiness, ASAP!
About the Author
Kanchan Choudhary is an Author, Writer, and Blogger. She is the Founder and Editor-in-chief at a blogging website, smiletoshine.com