How To Find The Happiness Within
Oh, fellow! Why do you wander so lost?
In the illusions of the world, troubled.
A truth rests, hidden within thee,
Find the happiness within, eager to break free.
Buddhism And Happiness
“There is no path to happiness. Happiness is the path. You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself.” — Buddha.
This is quite a profound quote by Buddha. He preaches that happiness is not present in the earthly desires of the world. Happiness is instead found within you. Happiness lies in the peaceful calm found in positive thinking; it also lies in the compassion, suffering, struggles, and contentment shared among humanity. Happiness emanates when you simply let go of external gratification rather than clinging to the yearnings of the material world. In the end, what matters most in our lives is how well you lived, how well you laughed, how well you loved, and how present you were for life while it happened. If you can find satisfaction in the present moment, you will ultimately unlock the potential for peace and happiness within you.
To tap into our wealth of potential happiness, we must make every effort to concentrate on positive thinking. Our reality begins within our minds, and so pure positive thinking invites the very happiness we seek into our reality. Do not be tempted to focus on what you don’t have or the things in life that are out of your control. Unfortunately, many of us diverge from the path of positivity when these distractions from the material realm arise. Thankfully, through dedicated mindfulness, it is possible to overcome material distractions and find your way back to the path of positivity.
Dealing With Material World
To unlock the wealth of happiness within, you need not give away all your worldly possessions and live in isolation in the Himalayas like a monk. This path is right for some, but it is not necessary for all. For most, we need to live in harmony with the rest of the world. We can still reach the inner peace and happiness locked away inside of us despite all the temptations of the material world. To this end, Buddha preached the idea of indifference. He believed that the highest welfare was the ability to balance one’s mind despite all the vicissitudes — the ups and downs of life. Indifference and acceptance rather than attachment and desire of the material world can help you overcome the grief and dissatisfaction that the material world brings to your lives. Let go of what is lost or unattainable so that you can instead invite contentment into your mind.
Buddha teaches us that Dukkha, the mental suffering that is life, can be eliminated through overcoming our material desires. The world around us tempts us to indulge at every moment. Society is built around a capitalist structure that feeds off of humanity’s obsession with materialistic thinking. Through deep concentration achieved by practicing mindfulness and meditation, we can begin to release ourselves from the grips of material desire. Mindfulness guides us back to the present moment where we can begin to derive joy from our existence in the time being.
Make The Moments Count
Happiness is not the number of moments of laughter in your life,
But the experience of laughter, in every moment in your life.
This quote offers a profound lesson. Life need not be very long. Instead, it should be large. Life is the depth and intensity of our experiences that shape the way we live. Many of our lives can feel as though they are filled with dull, dreary days, weeks, months, and often years. However, some of the moments we experience are so incredible they take our breath away. We live for these moments, we live for the experiences of love, power, anger, sadness, energy, and even pain. Some of the most extraordinary experiences we have as humans are bitter, but others are sweet. The quality, not quantity, of life’s extraordinary moments, help us define ourselves.
Happiness is just the same. The measure of one’s life is determined by how one experiences happiness in every possible moment of life. We can lead a life of bliss and satisfaction if we wish to see the joy and value in our being. Our life is itself a remarkable miracle. The knowledge that our very being is a miracle of the universe should bring us immense happiness. Some people are saddened by trivial and inconsequential matters that do not define us or our purpose in life. Life will always present obstacles, plans will be disrupted, loss in our lives is inevitable. It is important to accept things as they come and work through the small inconveniences thrown in your path. Keep positivity at the core of your existence each day no matter what the day might bring. Accept everything as it comes and move forward. This is the secret to a fulfilling life.
Invite Happiness Into Your Life
To lead a life where you can enjoy every moment, you need to be fully present in the here and now. You must choose a life that you love to live, one which brings endless opportunities for you to find delight from the process of living rather than the ultimate destination. The key is not to dwell in the past or worry about what the future will bring but exist from second to second as though that is all there is. Your thoughts become your reality, thus it is dangerous to concentrate on anything but the present. Through positive thinking and mindfulness, you can invite happiness and joy into your daily life.
To allow for everyday positive thinking to occur, it’s important to find a career that pays you well while also providing opportunities for incremental joy. Do not concern yourself with the path others have chosen, as what fulfills one person may not fulfill another person. Take the path that is available to you so that you can find joy in your journey. If you are an artist, you might become a freelancer or start a design studio. If finances are a concern, you might build the business up as a side hustle until it becomes successful enough that it can become your main day job. If you are a writer, you might find smaller projects to pay for your bills and work on your dream project between assignments. There are many ways to find joy in the process and promote positivity. The key to this is to build a life for yourself that invites and nurtures positive thinking, as it is only through the power of positivity that you can begin to free the boundless happiness and peace that lies within yourself.
Eight Strategies To Create Happiness
- Recognize what is under your control.
- Let go of things that you aren’t under your control.
- Focus on the process of your actions and not the results.
- Accept the outcome, whatever it is.
- Grow through difficulties, don’t just go through them.
- Do not react to criticisms. Absorb them.
- Be aware and present at the moment.
- Meditate, calm your mind. Enjoy the beauty around you.
I am currently writing my first book, “Be Buddha”— a collection of poems, essays, and stories. Do join the waitlist to show support for the book.
About Ravi
Ravi is a poet, innovator, and entrepreneur. Ravi got a degree from IIT and Princeton University and lived in Bangalore and California, working at various software startups. He is the author of Be Buddha and regularly blogs at Ravi’s Blog.
