There is no doubt that many of us believe our main source of happiness lies in money, beauty, and status. But in reality, these things only define our experiences and circumstances, and alone will not create the sense of well-being we associate with happiness.
You see, happiness is not an experience or circumstance, it is a state of mind emersed with peace and joy, which is free of fear and full of love that we feel for ourselves and others.
That’s worth repeating – happiness is a state of mind emersed with peace and joy which is free of fear and full of love that we feel for ourselves and others.
We can only achieve this by first realizing that circumstances, such as the amount of money in your bank account cannot create happiness. Without this realization, you will be left with unfulfilled desires that you feel must be fulfilled in order to achieve happiness. Even if some of these desires get fulfilled, you will be left in the same place that you were before the desire arose. And not all desires can be fulfilled. Some get fulfilled, some don’t.
Many of us know the millionaire who never offers to buy a cup of coffee. Sadly, this is evidence that the desire for more and the fear of not having enough, still remains front and center on his or her mind. And we shouldn’t envy this person, or envy any person, that can’t achieve the level of peace you can easily achieve by simply limiting your worldly desires and understanding they are not the path to happiness.
Of course, we are all wired to want a little more and improve our place in life. Working toward accomplishments will no doubt bring future rewards and having something to look forward is important to our happiness. But keeping our desires in check and focusing on people, friends, and family is a more prudent path toward peace. The more you focus on serving others and less about fulfilling worldly desires like money and status, the happier you will be.
Here are a few recommended fun gadgets to help you stay close to your loved ones and a few books to work on your happiness:
