Summary

The article discusses the nature of happiness, emphasizing that it is an inner state rather than dependent on external achievements, and suggests mindfulness, meditation, and gratitude as paths to lasting happiness.

Abstract

The article "What Is Stealing Your Happiness?" explores the transient nature of happiness derived from external sources and achievements, arguing that true happiness is an internal state of mind. It identifies comparison, ambition, and morality as thieves that rob individuals of their happiness by creating a cycle of unfulfillment, ego-driven inflexibility, and confusion. The author suggests that living in the moment, practicing meditation, and cultivating gratitude are key to maintaining happiness. By being fully present and appreciative of the current experience, individuals can foster a sense of unity with the universe and embrace happiness as their inherent nature.

Opinions

Comparison is detrimental to happiness as it leads to a never-ending loop of dissatisfaction and the unrealistic pursuit of having everything.
Ambition, while seemingly positive, can introduce ego and inflexibility, which are antithetical to enduring happiness.
Morality can divide the soul and create judgments that lead to unhappiness, as moral standards are not universal truths.
The pursuit of happiness is often derailed by shifting priorities and the tendency to dwell on the past or future instead of the present.
Meditation is more than a breathing technique; it is about achieving unity with the universe and fully engaging with the present moment.
Gratitude is presented as a means to attract happiness by filling oneself with positive vibes and embracing vulnerability without fear of judgment.
Happiness is described as an inherent human quality that can be experienced effortlessly by appreciating the small, everyday moments.

What Is Stealing Your Happiness?

Why do you feel unhappy and how to deal with it?

Happiness is a feeling that we all like. We always strive to be happy and work around our ways to find happiness in our lives. But unfortunately, the happiness that we achieve after a lot of struggle, lasts for a very short duration. And again we sink into that feeling where we crave happiness.

Is there any way to be happier more often? Can happiness be more long-lasting? Yes, of course! — many will say. But, how do you find it? To find this out, you need to understand happiness at a deeper level.

What makes you happy? When was the last time you felt happy? Was is it an achievement? If so, then why do you start losing happiness as soon as you’ve finished your goal? Because accomplishment is a mirage of happiness. The real happiness lies somewhere else. But where? The answer is ‘right here’, literally.

At a deeper level, happiness is not dependent on the outside world, but your inner world. It is a state of mind. And, the pathway to achieving such a state of mind is the art of happiness.

Who is the real enemy of your happiness?

Theif no.1 — Comparison: Comparison kills happiness. We all love the idea of comparing ourselves with others, called benchmarking. We try to achieve those benchmarks to satisfy our cravings for happiness. But those benchmarks fail us really bad. As soon as life changes the goalposts, we fall prey to unfulfillment. We feel less. We crave for being more. And, this loop never ends. We can’t achieve everything. We can’t have everything. That’s the reality. We need to understand. We don’t need everything, we just have to value everything we have. That’ll solve most of our miseries.

Theif no. 2 — Ambition: Ambition is a sweet poison. It sounds very novel but can deeply infuse the ego in your personality. Ego is not good for happiness. It drives you away from real humility and kindness. It makes you inflexible. And you know already, brittle things don’t last, they just break. When you have a prominent ego, your inability to adapt will make your happiness extinct.

Theif no. 3 — Morality: Morality divides your soul. Between the decision of right and wrong, you start judging yourself and others. We use morals so seamlessly that we forget that they’re not universal truths. They can create illusions and leave you puzzled. Such confusion is not good for happiness. A confused person is an unhappy person.

How can you save your happiness?

You’ve heard it so many times, ‘live in the moment’. I have heard it too. It’s a simple expression with such a deep-rooted philosophy of life. I wonder, if we already know the secret to our ultimate happiness, why do we fail? Why do we fall prey to stress, tension, and anxiety? Why do we forget such an important lesson?

The key lies with us only. While looking for happiness, we get distracted when our priorities change. We tend to look for happiness in other things than in the moment. We leave the present and start wondering about the future and the past. We start contemplating a world where things will be perfect. And while imagining this world, we get strangled in the ‘if and but’ scenario building. Our minds start playing games and we lose focus on the present. We start missing out on self-awareness and mindfulness.

What can you do to stay in the moment?

Nothing. Yes, that’s the answer. By trying to do something, we slip into our imaginations into the past and the future.

How to do nothing? Just be there. Observe the fine details, and get involved as an active participant in the present. How will it change your life? The more you get involved in the present, the less you’ll worry about everything else. It’ll help you ruminate less and be more present at the moment.

How meditation and gratitude can make you happy?

Don’t you think that meditation is the way to mindfulness? Yes, of course. But, what is meditation? Is it just breathing in and out focusing on your breathing pattern? No, not just that. Breathing is a technique to help you meditate. But meditation is much more beyond the technique.

Meditation is about being in union with the universe.

And, how to do that? Just be an observer. Just be there and enjoy every moment. Live and love life every day. Forget about the past and the future, just focus on right now. Enjoy the emotion and feeling of happiness, calm, love, and kindness at this moment.

Gratefulness is an expression of being in unity with the universe.

Being grateful can make you fulfilled. It attracts happiness. When you’re grateful, you’re filled with positive vibes. By being grateful, you empty yourself. You expose your vulnerabilities without any fear of being judged. You just let yourself sink in so that you can stay afloat.

Happiness is your inherent nature. Being happy is the easiest thing in the world. You don’t need anything or anyone to be happy. You just have to be true to yourself. Be there in the present. Enjoy little moments of happiness every day and your life will be filled with total happiness. Just like infinite numbers of water drops make an ocean. Stay here, stay happy.