What does happiness consist of, and how to achieve it?
That is a good question. It does not have a unique answer for all human beings. But I will give a reflection, which helps on the road to happiness.
Happiness consists of being happy. And that is all. How you decide to be happy is up to you.
Some people spend their whole lives searching for happiness outside of themselves. They are so caught up in their pursuit of happiness that they forget to be happy.
Happiness is a decision, not an acquisition.
The basis of happiness is to be yourself at all times.
It sounds cliché, and it is, but there is truth in there. My definition of a balanced human being at peace:
One is oneself when what one feels, thinks, says, desires, and does are in harmony.
You don’t lie because you don’t need to. You don’t hide because you don’t have to. You don’t cheat because you don’t need to. And, all that is unnecessary, because you express what you want, what you wish, what you feel, and your discomforts.
You feel peace, tranquility, a sense of well-being or happiness.
It is difficult because we all have concepts marked by other people, society, which do not fit with what we want.
We hide, deceive and lie. A lot of times with the excuse of protecting the other person. We lie to ourselves.
All these acts of hiding our true self, of imposing our ego on other, detract from our happiness.
Happiness is a state of being linked to truth and love.
If everything you do, you do it with truth, with love, it increases your happiness.
Everything you do without truth, without love, decreases your true happiness.
Try it one day: do different activities with truth and love. You will notice the little impulses of happiness (dopamine?) when you do it.
Do another test: get up early and decide to be happy that day.
Observe and write everything taking away your happiness.
Notice what you do there?
You turn the concept around: instead of looking for happiness; you decide to be happy and remove the situations, obligations, or people that wear out your happiness.
Happiness is a decision.
Try it one day, and write.
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