Happiness need not be outside; it is an expression of self
As per World Happiness Report 2021 released by New York based Sustainable Development Solutions Network, India stands at rank 92 in the global happiness ranking list. Happiness is an aspiration of every human being, and it can also be a measure of social progress. Search for happiness is said to be as old as mankind. However, most of us tend to look outside for happiness, feeling that it must be lying somewhere else since we are not experiencing it within ourselves.
Happiness actually is an innate quality of the soul. Hence, each one of us should be experiencing it all the time. But most of us do not. Right? Why is that so? Simply, because we are more focused on the external aspects of our life – our body, roles, responsibilities, possessions, etc., as a result of which we lose our connection with this inner resource of happiness.
When our focus is external, we also tend to blame other people and situations for our state of unhappiness. We think that if the people or circumstances that make us unhappy go away, we will be happy. In doing so, we forget that whether to be happy or not is a matter of our choice. People or situations cannot alter the state of my mind unless I allow them to. So, if I decide to be happy, come what may, I can be so all the time. How we feel in any situation is decided not by the situation but by how we choose to respond. So, if things are going my way, I will certainly have no reason to be cross. But if they are not, I need not get upset, because I can see what I can do about it and get things done differently next time.
And even if there is nothing I can do about it, I can learn from the experience and move on. Then why do we get disappointed and irritated? It only takes away our happiness and reduces our ability to deal with the situation. That is why one must remember this forever, ‘Happiness is my property, why should I allow any person or situation to rob me of it?’
Having faith in the intrinsic goodness of every human soul, and understanding that everyone is playing his or her role in this world, also helps us accept all kinds of situations and appreciate different types of people. It saves us from being judgmental, which can make our attitude towards others very negative and damage our relationships.
The biggest secret to happiness is to have good wishes and pure feelings in our heart for everyone. When we hold pure, good wishes in the heart for others, we can maintain a state of constant happiness, because good feelings are like a bouquet of flowers in our heart that spreads its fragrance inside and keeps ourselves happy.
We need to go within ourselves to tap the eternal source of happiness and for that firstly we need to be true to the self, know the self and be the self. Once we have understood the happiness that comes from within and as a result of the manner in which we conduct our lives and ourselves then it is possible to understand how to share that happiness with others. Increasing the happiness of others brings happiness to the self. So, keep distributing it to everyone, as this is the wealth that multiplies by giving, and brings the giver the added bonus of the good wishes and blessings of others.
(The author is a spiritual educator)
