Happiness

Lately I have been becoming increasingly conscious of the unhappiness (I am not talking about the biological depression here, but, the day to day discontentment that leads to so called "unhappiness" in the average population) that is prevalent in the society, in almost every individual’s life, no matter how blessed or how privileged they might be. This has been disturbing me for quite a while now and as I sit today with the quest, I can’t help but feel sorry for all those unhappy people out there. Don’t get me wrong. I am not merely saying that to prove some point. I have been there, done that. But, at the same time, I have always been aware of how blessed I am, no matter how tough it seems at any moment. That maintains my sanity and has led me to where I am today- happy with my "unhappiness" or discontentment, whatever you choose to call it! For, happiness is a relative term and happiness is for sure a state of mind and nothing else.

I have come to the realization that happiness doesn’t come to you, you have to bring it in. You have to create happiness. You have to learn to be happy. You have to want to be happy.

I have had my trials and tribulations in life and I am sure there are many more to come. I have also lived through it in every which way one can imagine. I have grieved over it, I have been in denial, I have bargained over it, and, finally, I have reached the stage wherein I have learned to embrace it and accept it as a part and parcel of life. I have realized that no matter how tough it seems, there is always room for sapping some happiness out of it. One should learn to live in the moment. The commonest cause of unhappiness is refusing to let go of the past, forgetting to live in the present and being unnecessarily anxious over what the future might bring. What is gone is gone, what is to come will come- we will cross the bridge when we get there. But, what is here and now is the only thing that we can control to some extent. Then why not steer it in a direction which leads to something beautiful and fruitful? Rather than fretting over what is missing or what could have been, why not see what is there and count the blessings? Also, if we stop having expectations, in life and from others, it will go a long way in expediting the road to happiness. Unhappy people tend to play the 'blame game' a lot and constantly reproach either the world or themselves for all the woes in their lives. One should try to let go and just be, living in the present and doing our best every moment of our life...Whatever will be, will be...at least, it will leave no room for regret if we have tried with all our might and that will further assist in maintaining the inner peace that is so needed to be happy and content.

Whenever I start to get bogged down by situations and fail to see the good, I compare myself to those who are lower down the scale of happiness and much more disadvantaged than I am. You just have to look around. You will find many. What seems to be excess for one, can seem to be not enough for the other. Let’s not forget the theory of relativity! Once we realize this, we will learn to see the positive and grab the opportunity to be happy. Create in your mind the happiness you want and, live it! You are only as happy or as sad as you believe yourself to be. Be determined that no matter what life throws at you, you will not let it affect your state of mind of being happy. Take everything with a pinch of salt and find humor whenever you can. If life seems bleak, be proactive. Think of ways to brighten things up. Let everything aside and find time for yourself and whatever brings you joy. Find reason for celebration in the littlest of things. Find happiness in the simple pleasures of life rather than constantly worrying about the bigger picture. Be creative in finding joy. Create happiness.

I refuse to believe that there can be a lack of things to be thankful for in anyone’s life. So, be humble and consider yourself privileged. Remember, there is someone out there who is praying and wishing for the good you have in your life. Life is not about greed. It is about contentment. Sometimes the term Contentment is misunderstood and it's believed that if you are content, you stagnate or stop growing. One needs to understand that contentment doesn't mean that you stop trying for more/better or stop giving your best..it simply means that no matter what the consequence of your efforts, you will be happy with what you already have and count your blessings. We have to constantly strive towards making the most of what we have. Again, it comes down to choice. You have to look for and pick happiness over the multitude of emotions life overwhelms you with. You choose the life you live. So, choose wisely…