The Way of Happiness

How would you describe your level of happiness on a daily basis? Is it something that’s familiar to you, a state of being that enriches your days? Would you describe it as something that you definitely experience on a daily basis? Or is it a rare occurrence that depends on where you are and what you’re doing and who's around you?

It’s a strange yet fascinating question because it reveals a great deal about our cultural and emotional conditioning - as well as the way we’ve been taught to conduct our lives.

There is only one cause of unhappiness and that's the false beliefs you have in your head, beliefs so widespread, so commonly held, that it never occurs to you to question them. ?

- Anthony de Mello

To be fair, we don’t place a great deal of emphasis on the importance of happiness. Our culture tends to favour material success over inner peace and calm. We’re encouraged to measure people’s lives in terms of their financial achievements rather than their wholeness as human beings. That’s an equation that, unfortunately, completely ignores the relevance of happiness.

We also place a very high value on our intellectual prowess. Even though our minds comprise many distinct layers, the highest recognition of our mental faculties is usually awarded to our ability to remember things. Memory, therefore, is often mistaken for intellect. Yet, the deeper mind has access to perceptions and levels of understanding that can enrich the quality and intensity of every moment of every day. It seems that we prefer to live within the familiar domain of our memories. These biased and distorted mental constructs provide us with a predictable sense of personal identity but they also distract us from the more profound experiences that are revealed within the deeper layers of our consciousness.

The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past as better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be. ?

- Marcel Pagnol

Happiness is not to be dismissed as some superficial and purely transient experience that arises and fades according to our circumstances. The teachings of many ancient philosophers, from Zen masters to luminous yogis, have repeated the same powerful insight. Across the wide expanse of the long centuries, they have encouraged us to recognise that happiness is, in reality, a state of being that improves our lives and grows with daily practice.

Some of the great examples from history reveal that the lives of these great men and women were far from easy. They faced immense challenges, injustices, physical privations and even persecution. Yet they insisted on maintaining their inner peace and a deliberate state of happiness. Not because of their circumstances. But because they chose happiness as a way of being.

Their message, which is as vitally relevant today as it was when it was first taught, is that this profound state of inner joy can be cultivated and practised until it evolves into a new state of being that reflects our most natural condition.

Does this mean that you will never experience unhappiness again?

Of course not. We’re human. We’re all subject to changes in our thoughts and feelings. But the daily decision to express a sense of inner joy will help you to overcome your doubts and fears and challenges and equip you to face your life with a calmer and more confident state of mind. That’s one of the great advantages of adopting a state of inner happiness.

We begin from the recognition that all beings cherish happiness and do not want suffering. It then becomes both morally wrong and pragmatically unwise to pursue only one’s own happiness whilst remaining oblivious to the feelings and aspirations of all others who surround us as members of the same human family. The wiser course is to think of others when pursuing our own happiness. ?

- Dalai Lama

The secret to this great shift in our behaviour is to begin each day with a simple and powerful declaration. You wake up and choose whether you wish to feel happy and joyful - or miserable and afraid. The choice is as simple and clear as that. You clearly select one way of feeling rather than the other. You state your intention at the start of each day and you follow your declaration in order to feel exactly the way that you wish to feel. Try it right now and notice how effective the technique can be in shifting the focus of your feelings.

Following this routine every day develops a very positive emotional habit that enhances your health, your wellbeing, your creativity and your impact on the people around you. Emotions are infectious. Your new-found state of inner calm and happiness will show up in your words, your gestures, your actions and your attitude. People will notice your positive emotional framework and it’s a very attractive behaviour to project into your environment.

The benefits are wonderfully profound and far-reaching.

Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is all within yourself, within your way of thinking. ?

- Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

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Are you ready for a completely fresh approach to life’s great adventure? Get in touch with us today for a free session to discover how the growing global movement for personal growth, success, change and empowerment can enhance your life. It’s fun and it’s surprisingly effective. Perhaps it’s time for you to discover how you can enjoy your life on a whole new level of happiness and wellbeing.

Greg Parry designed and built the Cognitive Empowerment Programs specifically to help people master their stress, overcome their limitations and explore the power of their true potential.

If you enjoy these blogs, you can imagine how much fun it is to have Greg in the room as an inspirational and highly perceptive speaker. It’s a fabulous way to enhance your communication and boost productivity. Courses run from a half-day to a full week. If you’d like to invite Greg to talk to your company or organisation or event, feel free to get in touch.

You can contact Greg and his Team at:

[email protected]

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