Once you choose hope, anything is possible...

 

My Journey towards Happiness

 

What is happiness? Happiness goes beyond external factors like conditions, circumstances, or destiny. It resides within us, not outside. It’s a feeling to nurture, a habit to cultivate, and a practice to adopt until it becomes part of our subconscious mind. Often what we perceive as happiness is entangled with the pursuit of pleasure, rooted in conditional thinking.

We constantly tell ourselves that happiness lies in the future, contingent upon specific “if and then” scenarios. This pattern of thought leads to a perpetual sense of discontent in the present moment and we forget that tomorrow never comes, because when it comes it becomes today, so happiness is in present moment not depending upon “if and then”. Simple living and authenticity, without wearing a mask, with healthy mind and body are where happiness flourishes.

Our changed lifestyle is one of the major factors which contributes to increased cases of unhealthy mind and body leading to state of sadness. We forget that we are inherently social animals. Our contemporary lifestyles, consumed by busyness, leave little time for meaningful interactions with family and friends. This limited social engagement allows small emotions to fester, transforming into mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, many fail to recognize this as a grave mistake Furthermore, our cultural identity, heritage, and traditions seem to have faded amid the rise of nuclear families.

As we emulate the Western world, we risk losing our true identity, stifling ourselves by suppressing emotions to conform to a false sense of identity. Reflecting on the past, when resources were limited, we had more time to spend with one another, more reasons to laugh, and fewer health-related problems such as obesity, blood pressure, and diabetes. I still remember, in my childhood, power cuts, instead of being an inconvenience, were occasions for celebration. Everyone would gather outside, creating a festive atmosphere. Festivals were characterized by joy and laughter, not ostentation. Possessions like clothes and toys were cherished as they were not abundant. A weekly movie on the lone TV channel ‘Doordarshan’ was a special treat, and during a solar eclipse, there would be a special movie telecast to keep everyone indoors. Not everyone owned TVs and phones, so those who did extend open invitations to others, fostering a sense of community where the entire neighborhood gathered to watch and enjoy together. Entertainment back then comprised comics, storytelling, dancing, music, and outdoor games, as opposed to today’s computer games and TV serials. The era was marked by large joint families, providing numerous reasons to celebrate and share both joys and sorrows. While it’s not to say that people in older times were without their struggles, but the probability of happiness seemed higher. People had Simple living and authenticity, without wearing a mask. Physical fitness was more prevalent as manual labor was integral to daily routines. Instances of depression, anxiety and conditions like diabetes, heart attack, blood pressure were fewer.

Apart from our changed lifestyle, there are several other factors which are commonly identified as hindrances to our happiness. One such factor is the Habit of comparison. In our quest to prove superiority over others, we enter a never-ending cycle of comparison, losing sight of the fact that there is always someone perceived as superior. This constant comparison undermines genuine contentment and perpetuates a sense of inadequacy and fosters materialism.

Also Materialism plays a crucial role in blocking our true happiness. It refers to the pursuit or emphasis on acquiring material possessions or wealth to the greatest extent possible. It is the idea that accumulating material goods, money, or resources leads to an increase in one’s overall well-being or happiness. This perspective often places a high value on material wealth as a measure of success and fulfilment. However, the concept is often criticized for its potential to lead individuals into a cycle of constant desire for more, potentially contributing to a never-ending pursuit of material gains and neglecting other aspects of life, such as relationships, personal growth, and overall well-being.

Another barrier to happiness is the Insatiable urge to control others and the refusal to accept situations beyond our control. There is direct relationship between control and anxiety. Those with a controlling nature are often insecure people who try to gain power over others and this way they feel superior and end up making misguided decisions, surrounded by a circle of “yes” friends rather than fostering genuine connections. Therefore, in understanding happiness, it becomes important to unravel these patterns and follow the path of long lasting happiness.

One of the most important factor is Positive thinking, it doesn’t mean ignoring problems; it’s about focusing on positive outcomes and seeking solutions to improve situations. Acceptance is the key to positive thinking. It means taking ownership of the situation and extracting the best from it. This helps us stop over thinking and avoid magnifying our pain. By adopting this approach, we can face challenges with a clearer and more positive mind set.

Other important factors which play a major role for attaining the state of long lasting happiness are having Purpose in life, personal growth and environmental mastery. To sustain a state of happiness it is also important to have a purposeful life. Leading a purposeful life brings positivity in life and helps in letting go small troubles. It gives clearer vision for future and every step taken towards purpose gives fulfilment, contentment and satisfaction. Along with purposeful life, focus on Personal growth i.e. focusing on one’s skills enhances inner happiness.

Learning Environmental Mastery is also crucial to navigate in this changing era, which means learning to navigate in life by understanding our surroundings. For example, a ship in a sea never goes against the storm but navigates according to the winds otherwise it will sink, likewise we must also learn to navigate in the occasion of life which is full of storms and ruff winds.

Now, the question arises: how do we brake these barriers and change the pattern amidst this lifestyle we’ve embraced? The answer lies in breaking free from the web of problems we’ve woven for ourselves. It requires specific tools and techniques tailored to address the challenges of our fast-paced era. And one of such powerful technique is NLP Neurolinguistics Programming (NLP), techniques, designed to show us path to abundance.