In September 2014, i attended a very interesting one week workshop (Yes! +) covering meditation and yoga at Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (India) - Department of Human Resources Development. It was organised by one of my good friends and classmate Honey Goklani and authorized by the able Leadership of the Department. She personally invited and convinced me to attend though I was sceptical about it, amazingly I attended and benefited a lot.
One important question which the Trainer (from the Art of Living) asked was. “When are you going to be happy”. While, I heard a lot of interesting responses such as:
◈ When I complete my master’s degree◈ When I get a job as HR manager
◈ When I get married
◈ When I build a house for my parents
◈ When I travel to my dream country
◈ When I buy my dream car
These were among other nice responses from the participants and I also answered in the similar way and I remember saying, “When I become Director of Human Resources”. After hearing all interesting responses and laughter, a follow up question was asked, how many days/weeks, /months /years will your get to that place of becoming a manger, buying your dream car, getting married or even completing your studies? Believe me; all the answers were not even within a week’s time but mostly years from that time. This might sound familiar to others, however,
◈ Do you really have to wait to be promoted and get your dream job to become happy?
◈ Do you have to wait for Mr Right or Dream Girl to become happy?
◈ Do you wait for your dream car to become happy?
How do you define Happiness?
The Merriam Webster Dictionary says happiness can be “a state of well-being and contentment” or a pleasurable or satisfying experience”. The ancient Greeks defined happiness as: “Happiness is the joy that we feel when we’re striving after our potential”. Aristotle said: “Happiness is a state of activity”. Others define it differently, however, does someone’s definition of happiness be your definition? Hell no, your personal definition of happiness has more to do with your values and personality than a description opined by some philosopher or author. Only you have the absolute rights to define what happiness means for you.
Happiness is personal and not what someone has prescribed for you. For me, happiness has do more with what you are passionate about and love doing. Just because studies show that marriage is more important to well-being than career, doesn’t mean that you will be happy or happier when you get married. Just because having a certain brand of car or phone is related to prestige does not mean you will be happier with it, probably not going to give you happiness. I feel happiness is something to be enjoyed right now not years from now. Don’t wait for that big dream, that big job, that dream car, that relationship, be happy and always continue looking for ways to grow, to know yourself better and enjoy the journey to your dreams. If helping people makes you happy, go for it, if singing and dancing makes you happy, keep singing and dancing, if writing, researching makes you happy, don’t stop yourself, if travelling makes you happy, don’t worry about others with their respected opinions.
Thomas Jefferson said, “It is neither wealth nor splendour; but tranquillity and occupation which give you happiness”. He is right in his definition because happiness is a subjective emotion. Most people make happiness conditional like indicated from the responses above. Is your happiness always contingent on something? do you always tell yourself, “I will be happy...when I get this or that”. Unequivocally, dreaming, working hard and smart is encourageable but it should not be at the expense of enjoying the present. Learn to appreciate the things that you enjoy and their positive impact on your life today. By the way, even if you happy with your current job or not happy with it, there is nothing to stop you from building upon happiness. There is no reason why your current contentment should restrict your ambition.
Take time to define what happiness means to you and then do the things that makes you happy. However, don’t violate others happiness in your pursuits.
No comments:
Post a Comment