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Monday, April 29, 2019

Busting the Happiness Myth: Part I - Where to Find Happiness


(Confederation Bridge from Nova Scotia to P.E.I. photo courtesy Nancy Murdoch)

Happiness. Why isn't anyone happy? I mean truly happy, not just content? It's not because we don't have that nice car, cushy job, luxury vacation, or time to spend with our kids (or without them). We may think it is because we don't have enough money, freedom, health, or a partner who understands us. That belief is a myth that has been sold to you by every industry that sees you as a commodity with a particular dollar figure attached to your statistics. It is time to find your own sense of happiness, and not buy into what 'they' are telling you.


Think back to the last time you got what you wanted. How long were you happy? Maybe five minutes before the cycle of dissatisfaction started again and you wanted something else? Now think forward and pretend you got or achieved the the thing you so badly want right now. Really immerse yourself into the feeling of having that thing. Go forward a few hours, days, or weeks. Now how do you feel? The momentary magical bliss wore off, didn't it? It always does and it always will. Happiness to contentment to mundane to dissatisfaction all over again.

Happiness will never come from getting the things you think you want. It will only come from living your Soul's Purpose. It's like the protagonist's mission in a good novel; every word in the book moves the protagonist towards reaching her destination and accomplishing her mission. Without that specific mission the book would just be an endlessly long meandering of words that took the reader through every possible emotion and in every possible direction, except to a destination that provided lasting fulfillment - for the protagonist and the reader. It's the same with our lives. We could saunter down every alleyway and path until the end of eternity and never find the deep, warm, lasting happiness that the destination of our Soul's Purpose is trying so desperately to lead us to.

This is the happiness, the joy, the fulfillment we are all searching for. Some people understand this and others aren't there yet. Some people have an inkling that there is more to life than this (whatever this is), while others are experiencing a ravaging hunger to find out what their soul's work is so they can get on with it. Which one are you?

Stay tuned for Part II - Inspiration as a means to discovering your Soul's Purpose

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