Joy Is Where You Want It To Be
Everything we just mentioned goes hand-in-hand together. We must therefore make an effort to change our philosophy of life. For most of us, this is full of complaints. But we must instead apply a positive outlook on life. Here it will dawn on us how we can find joy, exactly where we want.
You do not find joy, you create it
There is no need to look for joy, for it does not hide. That is, it does not exist out there in a place that we all believe.
If this were the case, there would be two types of people. Those who live an enviable dignified, happy life, and those who have nothing and are unhappy. But this is not how reality looks. And in fact, the people who have the least are actually the happiest.
Not to overgeneralize, but what usually happens when people get used to living with less is that they also need less. The result of this, is that their attention being focused must small pleasures, rather than temporary satisfaction.
That is why psychological satisfaction comes from within. It’s not about believing that we will get the thing we need and then we will be happy. If you are not happy with what you have, you probably will not be when you get more.
How can I become a happier person?
The first step you must take toward your goal of feeling more joy is to stop looking for it. When we tell ourselves that we should be happy but just can not be, we get frustrated. And frustration is certainly not equal to happiness. Plus, being obsessed with the idea of happiness fills us with anxiety and desperation, and ends up turning into a struggle.
The truth is that we need very few things to feel good. A little food – not too much, because then the enjoyment turns into pain – a little water, a roof over our heads, physical activity so we do not get sick, a goal that gets us out of bed every day – without us worrying about the result, sleep, oxygen, and not much else.
Thinking we have to have something, whatever its cost, makes us nervous. And if we get it, and end up losing it, after all in life is fleeting, we become depressed.
Replace your values. Don’t focus too much on work, finding a partner, money, or success. When you lie on your deathbed, you will not remember any of it. What you want to remember are the experiences you have had with your friends. Time with family. The afternoon coffee you drank by the sea. Or the sound of your dog sleeping by your side while reading a good book.
Your priority should be love. Towards yourself, life, and everyone else. If you are able to love the simple things, the human things, and the small details, then you will be happy. Why not start right away?
