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July 7 - July 15, 2020
In searching for status, organisational or political pedestals come as important psychological benefits. They symbolise ‘importance’. That is why status-hunters often envision an important corporate position or public title as a pivotal happiness trigger.
“The happiest people seem to be those who have no particular cause for being happy except that they are so.”
The ancestor of every action in your life is a thought. How we think is how our lives work out. Over time, our reality mirrors the way in which we choose to make sense of life. We structure our lives in our heads.
“Guard over your thinking, for it becomes actions. Your actions slowly turn into habits. Over time, your habits shape your character. And in the end, your character becomes your destiny. If you want to change your destiny, change your thinking.”
Yes, true
Gratitude is probably the single most telling characteristic of happiness, as the ability to unconditionally appreciate something is the ultimate counter-force to those monstrous human self-destructors – anger, arrogance, desire, indifference, regret, resentment and guilt. Gratitude is the most unselfish form of love. It represents a mindfulness beyond guilt or indebtedness. It presents unsought gifts of serenity, unveils grace in moments of pain. It gently enforces perspective and humility. No form of fear can hold its own when confronted with true gratitude. It empowers, beyond imagination.
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Happy people fully embrace whatever they choose to do. When they are on holiday, they are fully there. When they read, they take in every ounce of information. When they practise their faith, they reorient their spirits for optimal growth. When they choose to retire, they fill the freedom with joyful content. When they listen to music, they hear every note and nuance. Full engagement is a practice of passion. It is rooted in an excitement to be alive.
Happy people show courage. They build their careers around a personal quest – a journey that captures their attention and intelligence. They allow their intrinsic fields of fascination to become real-life experiences. And this engagement in their ‘tasks of will’ leaves them with an abundance of energy which empowers them to become great at what they do and allows them an ‘unfair’ competitive edge. Their souls are on fire when they work!
Happy people are great relationship gatekeepers. They are good friends, but only to good friends. They don’t measure the quality of their relationship experience by the number of people in their lives. They carefully select their relationships. They don’t associate with destructive or self-centered people. They walk away from negative attitudes and toxic mentalities. They don’t fall prey to abusive associations. Happy people don’t see this choice of relative exclusivity as being selfish, but as self-preserving.
‘Less’ is more. To invite too many people into our lives is like trying to spread a thousand loaves with a single pat of butter. We are wired to maintain roughly five to seven relationships well; anything more causes quality leakage, exhaustion, and unnatural behaviour. It normally leads to all your relationships becoming superficial and unsustainable. Solid relationships aren’t ‘crowd-compliant’.
