The Pursuit of Happiness
Happy new year! And here’s to probably a newer, better version of you. Oprah’s got this little quiz on happiness, based on a recent show she did on life satisfaction. Here are a few key points worth reflecting on.
“You have to understand that the pursuit of happiness is a mistake. It’s like, you don’t chase happiness out there. You learn that you’re happy inside you and then you go running. Then you go into the world.”
Dr. Holden says the key to being happy is overcoming “destination addiction,” which he defines as “living in the not-now.”
“It’s always about tomorrow, so you’re chasing ‘more,’ ‘next’ and ‘there,’” he says. “You promise yourself that when you get there, you’ll be happy. And I promise you, you won’t, because you’ll always set another destination to go for.”
Instead, Dr. Holden says if you are unhappy with your life or looking to improve your score on the satisfaction test, there are two things you can do. “We have to learn to let go of our past, we have to give up all hopes for a perfect past. Let the past go, it’s gone.” After that, he says, “Take a vow of kindness. Be kinder to yourself and to others.
“It’s never too late to be happy,” he says.
I couldn’t agree more.
pursuing happiness is like chasing the wind…the world has offered us so many things: material bliss, promising career, and even spiritual journeys…we try to pursue these…that we miss what we have right under our very noses…
the lepers wish they have all their toes and fingers intact and they could be happier…have we thanked God we have all twenty of them? the orphans yearn to be with their moms and dads…are we grateful we are here for our children?…the vagrants pray fro a roof over their heads…have we appreciated our havens?
i had a project before christmas…i spent my money hoping I get reimbursed on time…i spent most of my time moaning and whining about how insensitive and bad people are that I almost missed the essence of christmas…missed the fellowship of wonderful friends and family…
…all because we pursue happiness
Minnie said this on January 2, 2009 at 1:57 pm