A Life Of Happiness Is Not A Measure Of Success
We all strive for happiness and success in our careers, and businesses, we are passionate about building our individual empires. And there is nothing wrong with that. After all, man’s greatest ambition is to live a life of happiness and fulfillment.
That’s why all of our goals are colored with what we intend to achieve, for instance, some of us want to accumulate wealth, get rich or richer, and to have all the things that money can buy. While others may want to travel places, others may want to have a new partner, a new job title, win an election, have a baby, and so forth.
“How we spend our days is how we spend our lives”
The Process Matters
These are good goals, the only problem may come from the process of achieving them. Everybody wants to be happy to achieve fulfillment, whatever such fulfillment is to the person. But then, the question is how do we achieve the goals? And How happy are we in the process? A life of happiness is never going to be measured by success or achievement.
Often times, I pause to think, why is everyone in search of happiness, even to the point of passionately seeking a life of happiness from place to place, and even from wrong places? Yes, some people are seeking happiness in the wrong places and from wrong things like alcohol, sex, drugs, money, popularity, position, and so many other nonfulfilling cravings. Why are we so thirsty for a happy life in a world filled with suffering and pains? I may not provide you the answer you need, however, with my limited understanding of life and human nature, I believe that the answer has to do with man’s alienation from his maker, who is the source of good things.
The answer that came to mind is that man was created to live in paradise and to live a life of abundance and happiness with no lack! I know many of us may not agree with me saying that, but I strongly believe that to be the genesis of man’s quest for happiness and fulfillment. It is like a man is searching for what was lost in Paradise.
Why Happiness is Not Easy To Find and To Maintain
Part of the reason why we found living a happy life difficult to live and maintain is that we are created with four aspects of humanness, which are physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Therefore, to live a happy life, we must learn how to maintain and live in harmony with these four aspects of our nature. Living a life of happiness has always been man’s pursuit.
But unfortunately, we think we are but we’re not living in harmony within ourselves, hence we are constantly looking for external and artificial means to obtain happiness, and that’s why it is also difficult to find it. Because happiness starts from within us from who we are and not where we are or what we have or have not achieved. Let me just give an example of how the four aspects of our life create a holistic life that results in happiness. HOW TO BE HAPPY
Physically speaking
Naturally, and physically our body is meant to be nurtured with food, drink, sleep, and other pleasures, and once we get adequate sleep, healthy food, or a balanced diet, we feel good and ecstatic, and energetic right? There are a lot of things within this aspect of our life that can give provide temporary pleasure, you can think of and add as many items as you can including cars, houses, money, possessions we can classify all these under the physical aspect of life.
Emotionally
For us to live happily, we have to maintain our emotional life. For instance, we can increase our emotional health by building and nurturing healthy relationships, instead of being selfish, or tearing each other down or apart.
We can intentionally cause other people to be happy, by offering help, hope, forgiveness, love, and creating a peaceful atmosphere. Happiness is not bought or sold in any shop, it is cultivated, and maintained. We can create it by living in harmony within us. When we learn what makes life tick, and stick to it, we can begin to experience a deeper sense of happiness or fulfillment, regardless of who we are, what we have or don’t have. The third aspect of man that needs to be nourished also is the intellectual aspect.
Intellectually
What are we doing to keep our intellect nourished? For me, my major nourishment comes from reading. I don’t naturally watch movies or TV as such. I don’t socialize much but I can always get hold of a book to peruse. Reading some good books has a lot of benefits, and it helps to keep your brain alive and vibrant. The more healthy physical, emotional, and intellectual mind you have, the healthier and happier your life will be. How about spiritually?
Spiritually
Even though we stretch our lives to capacity operating within the first 3 aspects, the spiritual aspect can’t be neglected and one finds enduring happiness. This is where we ought to even do great work. Instead, this the aspect that many people neglect and starve. It is the aspect
That matters a lot because of its eternal value. It is the connection map to man and the Higher power – God or whatever name you’re comfortable to call Him. For me, this is very important. I have to learn how to integrate my spiritual life with my daily activities.
It requires setting aside a time daily for reflection, devotion, meditation, worship, reconnecting spiritually with yourself and God, and expressing your gratitude and praise of Him for all His benefits in your life and family, and by realizing fears, and anxieties of what the future will bring. I tell you, being in this space is refreshing, empowering, and liberating. It feels the mind with hope, peace, and happiness!
Working in these four dimentional aspects of our life will ultimately create a life of happiness and meaning. Unfortunately, many people are living in one or two aspects and that’s why it is hard to find the reall happiness which everyone is busy looking for in work, business, sports, wealth, education entertainment, and so forth. Because we are not living in harmony with our four pillars, then when there;s a crack or a negligence in one aspect, the other aspect will react, and the reaction is what robs us of the happiness and fulfilment we desperately desire, https://psychlens.com/meaning-of-happiness/
Committ To The Whole Process Of Real Happiness
The irony of it is that even though many of us know what can bring happiness, but we just don’t commit to doing it. Instead, we keep searching aimlessly. Why are we not committing to achieving the four aspects of happiness? Because we are too busy, very busing working to be happy, but at the same time neglecting the process of achieving lasting happiness.
However, I personally believe that none of our goals are worth sacrificing our happiness. But unfortunately, that’s what so many are doing these days. And what is the kind of happiness I’m referring to here? I mean happiness that is lived by a person appreciating what he or she has or where he or she is at the moment. Does that sound like happiness to you?
Many of us are so obsessed with achieving goals, making the kind of money that can buy us an Island; that we keep evaluating our life by how much we make daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly than evaluating our life on how healthy and happy that we are living at the moment. If things turn out contrary to our expectations as they sometimes do, we get run down.
Life Is Worth More Than Wealth
Do you know that most people stress and fight over money issues more than enjoying it? How many friendships have been hurt, betrayed, or killed because of a fight over money? Either the money was borrowed and not returned when promised, or a friend was cheated out of contract, or the person refused to pay his or her part of the bill.
In most quarrels in a relationship, when you trace it well, you will find money as a factor. The point or goal of this short article is to remind us, that our lives are far worth more than money. Money is not worth more than life. If we want to live a happy life, we have to re-invent our relationships and learn how to live in harmony with the four aspects of our nature. Let us nourish our spiritual life, intellectual, emotional, and physical life daily. Learn how to incorporate within your daily to-do list, or routine to live a balancing life, a holistic lifestyle, that ultimately leads to meaning and happiness.
In conclusion, if you want to live happily, build your relationships, make it to be emotionally healthy for you and others. Physically, have self-control, eat healthy, sleep healthy, exercise healthy, and live healthily. Don’t short-change your health in pursuit of money and material possessions. And live spiritually, connect and be at peace with your creator, seeking God first is the beginning of success and fulfillment!