Happiness
Have you ever stopped and asked yourself why everyone is chasing happiness? How can one word have so much meaning that it has literally become interwoven into our ever being of accepting our internal existence? Have you ever thought to stop and be curious what happiness really means? Yes, there is the general definition, however happiness is not something one can obtain as a constant emotional high. It is not tangible and it is not concrete. It is in constant motion evolving with our thoughts, and many experts believe we have between 50,000 – 80,000 thoughts per day. That is approximately 2,100 – 3,300 thoughts an hour. What might bring someone happiness today might bring them sadness tomorrow and one woman’s happiness might bring another woman sadness.
One might ask how can this be? So, we ask ourselves again why do we live in a world that is so infatuated with finding this so called happiness and how do you determine what makes you happy? What are we seeking when it comes to happiness? Are you seeking the emotional high or are you seeking contentment?
Contentment
One needs to be cautious because if it is only the emotional high you are seeking than you are setting yourself up for many peaks and valleys ahead. However, if you are seeking contentment than you will find an emotion that can potentially be sustainable over time.
You might ask, what exactly does contentment mean? One definition of contentment is to be comfortable in the world. This allows one to sustain the emotional state whether they are in a peak or in a valley. Seeking contentment allows you to stay in the moment and face the in-between of the unknown. This is something many of you are uncomfortable with and tend to struggle to stay in this vast space for you tend to seek the emotional highs of what only happiness brings. After researching I found it amazing on how many self help books/documentaries/blogs there are regarding how to find happiness. It has literally become an obsession within our society.
Reflection
I invite you to step back and look from another angle and ask yourself, is it only happiness you are seeking or is there something else? Many of you live day to day in a continuous routine. You get up in the morning, get dressed, eat breakfast, drive to work, work for several hours and then eat lunch. You then return back to work for several hours, clock out, drive home and do your evening activities. Next you eat dinner, take a shower, and prepare for bed. And this same routine continues the next day. Yes, each day may vary especially if you have children, however you created a life that only sustains itself within the walls that you originally built years ago. However, are you willing to ask the simple question if this life makes you happy?
Let me ask you another question. Do you take the same route to work every morning and every evening on your way home? Have you ever asked yourself why? I invite you after reading this to try and take a different route each day for an entire week. It will amaze you how this simple change can make a difference.
Change
Something that is extremely hard for many of us to do. Why is this so you might ask? Many would say it is because it takes us into the world of the unknown and many of us are not comfortable there. Many tend to continually seek happiness from an external point of view instead of reflecting on even the simple tasks of their day to day routine. However, the desire still remains and many describe it as they feel something is missing in their life.
Purpose
So this takes me back full circle. If so many of you are chasing happiness and have so for many years and have yet to conquer this daunting task is that really the only thing you are seeking? Or is that just what you have been told to seek? If so, I invite you to look from another perspective. One that is deeper and can be internally rewarding long term. If this speaks truth to you and you are longing for change I invite you on a journey to find your inner calling, your purpose. Seek that which your soul desires to become and enjoy the ride for you will find it is worth the wait. And along the way you will find what you have been seeking all these years. For within your purpose you will also find contentment which enables you to experience what true happiness can bring.
