The pursuit of happiness is an interesting concept, but not a lot of people realize that this chase doesn’t have much to do with the fulfillment of life itself. There is more to living and breathing than just striving to be happy. Believe it or not, this feeling alone isn’t enough to sustain us. If you want a true sense of fulfillment, then you have to learn that life, and consequently love, are also a product of suffering. This doesn’t mean you have to make a martyr of yourself, though. No, it is all about making that unyielding effort and being able to persevere relentlessly no matter what you do.
Jim Carey once beautifully explained that money won’t necessarily buy you happiness, Bob Marley said that material riches cannot even come close to spiritual riches; and if you really want to be in a comfortable place where you can achieve a peace of mind, then you have to learn how to suffer in order to reach it. Take, for instance, love itself. Only couples who have basically spent decades together and gone through all manner of life’s trials and tribulations truly begin to understand what it takes to devote yourself to another person. Also, elbowing your way to the top of your career doesn’t just happen out of the blue. And when it comes to art, well, this is where suffering takes precedence.
Everyone has been disappointed in life at least once. A lot of us may be sturdy and ambitious, but sometimes the hardest thing can be to get back on your feet once you fall down – and we all fall down from time to time either spiritually, emotionally, or physically. No one is perfect. Mistakes and how we learn from them is what defines us, and being able to fix life’s maladies is what makes us strong human beings. If you have trouble coping with your current circumstances, here are a few tips which will help you get things back on track.
Remember you are responsible for your happiness.
We cannot control everything. No one knows what may befall us during our lifetime, but how we react to such changes and situations is what can either make us or break us. The key is inside our heads. Happiness is a state of mind, not necessarily a consequence of events. It is something that we can actually choose. It is said that even by forcing a smile you will eventually fill the natural kick of this universal emotion. With a sound mind-set, you can take charge of your happiness, as long as you are not idle.
Deal with your ego.
This is a real riddle, because not a lot of people know how to deal with their own ego. First off, it is not a bad thing to have this trait. People usually say that you have to kill your ego in order to reach a homeostatic state, but that is not necessarily true, unless you are a Buddhist monk, of course. Artists in particular won’t be able to share their contagious energy and express their visions of the world if ego is suppressed and tucked away hidden. Remember, ego has to be justified with righteous deeds, so don’t use it to boast, but try inspiring other people with it instead.
Live today.
Being stuck in your own past won’t get you anywhere, nor will the expectations of the future paint a clearer picture. Such stalemates have to be broken immediately, because time is relentless, relative, and merciless. If you truly want to live, then you have to focus on the present, because that dot on the infinite timeline is the only chance where you can actually do something with your life. Everything else is “just” memories and dreams.
Work on your self-esteem.
To some, working on this concept of oneness is easy, but some really have a hard time building it right. It is built by actions which define us and it is based on our common humanity. Every time we challenge ourselves, our self-esteem grows and changes, so the key is to remain positive, diligent, and proud of yourself. Take for instance, working on your physique. Overweight people lose their confidence the moment they expose their skin, but by having enough willpower and endurance, anyone can hit the gym, turn fat into muscle, and turn their self-esteem upside down. Just start off slow, make a dietary plan, use creatine for that extra burst of energy, lift those weights right, and just watch how those positive bodily changes affect your mind and soul, too.
It is your life, so you might as well walk the path you choose, not the path society, or even worse, your parents, choose for you. The best driving force we all possess is passion. Once you figure out where your purpose lies, your existence itself becomes a blessing. Remember, as John Lennon said, striving to be happy means understanding what life is all about, but it will never be complete without a little blood, sweat, and tears to bolster our efforts towards our personal greatness.
1 Comment
very nice 🙂