सत्यानंदः अंतरतः विद्यते ||
Life gives me enough reasons every day to sulk. I have a choice to carry on with that feeling for the rest of the day or to look beyond & within to alter that feeling.
There will be a million reasons surrounding me to be unhappy but all I need is one single moment of introspection to clear out that fog of unhappiness.
I believed then — Material Possession is the source of Happiness. I might not completely disagree with my previous self as some of the possession provides comfort. And it feels better to contemplate in comfort but wanting that comfort at any cost is the source of misery.
Having more is not the source of happiness & hence wanting more won’t help us to be happy. The answer lies in contentment.
Be happy & merry with what you have. Work for more but don’t expect your actions to give you your desired outcome every time.
When my actions manifest into my desired outcome, I will be by default happy. When it fails my expectations, sulking won’t help. Being happy will be my choice to avoid unhappiness with the quality of contentment to solidify my choice.
Dalai Lama guides us perfectly with his words & his life on the topic of happiness. He says:
In order to be happy we must first possess inner contentment, and inner contentment doesn’t come from having all we want; but rather from wanting and appreciating being grateful for all we have.
Easier said than done. I know how hard it is to bring out contentment in sorrowful times. It is hard to recall contentment in the midst of unfortunate events but remember, it is hard not impossible.
Bharata, my nation, has a history full of such sages who were content with what they had. They lived a minimalistic way yet always full of bliss & joy. They knew the equation of happiness & shaped their routines in accordance with that.
Contemplating the future or regretting the past may lurk us in the cave of unhappiness. But when in such a situation, if you adopt the practice of making a conscious decision to look within in order to act on the present moment, misery can be easily avoided.
Again, easier said than done but give it a try, it works wonders.
As I said, there will be comfort in materialistic possessions but true happiness is not anywhere near its proximity.
For true happiness, try to develop contentment. Contentment is not a hard thing to find if you try to take a hard look inside of you.
Socrates highlights the importance of Contentment beautifully:
Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty.
Be happy with what you have or what you are. Thrive for more but if you fail try again but don’t let your happiness hang on the outcome of your effort.
If you are looking for a reason to be happy, don’t look outside, look within you will find multiple reasons to be content & joyous. These steps will be helpful in making happiness a habit.
“Look within. Within is the fountain o f good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig.” — Marcus Aurelius
Remember, it all comes down to a conscious choice. Practice until it becomes a habit.