Day 9: Writing about Happiness
30 Days Writing Challenge
Do you remember the last time you were truly happy?
It was not so long ago, I was with my friend smoking near the river Thames, music playing in the background, beautiful sunset ahead, and at that time I felt so at peace with everything.
Suddenly my mind realized that I am feeling happy, and it just can't stand me being happy, so it started doing what it does best.
Thoughts started flowing in, you don't deserve to be happy, you still have to finish a lot of things, complete them, and then you can be happy, you are not worthy, remember that embarrassing thing you did? Yes, I’ll not let you stay happy for longer than 5 seconds.
I observed this pattern, and found that it reoccurs a lot! Every time I feel a tinge of happiness, or something really positive happens, my mind starts its Doom FM Radio and reminds me of my flaws.
Happiness is transitory, if it were not, we would not value it. Happiness and sorrow are like ebb and flow.
According to me, it all comes down to awareness. Now I am aware that my mind behaves this way when I feel good.
Just being aware of this fact and channelizing my focus on the present helps a lot.
Keeping your expectations in control, deep breathing when feeling anxious, giving time to yourself, working a little on yourself, and practicing self-love are some of the principles that help in living a more meaningful life.
Constantly chasing happiness through buying stuff, posting stuff, and consuming stuff will only give transient pleasure.
People these days have given themselves irrational checkpoints in life. If they reach these societal milestones, only then they’ll be happy.
Getting a partner
Getting that job/promotion
Getting married
Getting ‘X’ likes or views on my post
Getting that house, car, vacation, phone, shoes, dress… list is endless.
From your experience so far in life, do you think this kind of happiness lasts long?
Of course not. We are not programmed to be satisfied, to be satiated by these worldly materialistic pleasures. The wealthiest people commit suicide too. Yes, they receive a better cremation, but what's the point, they’re dead.
Gone forever… unless you believe in heaven, which means they’re still gone forever because heaven doesn’t exist. Good Morning.
Try to enjoy the little things in life, observe people, notice their beautiful idiosyncrasies, compliment them, and be kind to them.
Giving away kindness is extremely fulfilling.
But, as always, Question Everything
The Curious Overthinker
Sarthak Mirchandani
