Most of us think we know what makes us happy, but do we? We chase after money and status, seeking happiness by pandering to the senses. We think these will do the trick, but if we knew what really makes us happy, we would crave little. Why? Because happiness comes from within. I spotted a competition in a newspaper recently. ‘Change your life forever!’ it announced in huge letters.
‘Win a new home, a car, a dream holiday, £10,000 a year for life to help you maintain your new, luxurious lifestyle, and enjoy VIP treatment from celebrity experts.’ Well, obviously if you won this handsome prize your life would be different, but would you be any happier? Possibly so for a few months, but unless your consciousness expanded to match your wealth, the effects would be temporary. It would still be you with these things. If you were unhappy before, unless you changed happiness would still elude you.Some UK politicians are suggesting that in the not too distant future, governments will be judged on how they contribute to the happiness of their electorate! Now there’s a thought!
326 Spiritually Inclined People Are Happier
Psychologists once spent most of their time studying mental illness, but recently they’ve turned their attention to what brings health and happiness. They’ve discovered that happiness is largely influenced by non-physical factors such as values, attitudes and beliefs. For example:
- Across all cultures, people who have a happy marriage, spend time with their families, and enjoy caring friendships, a varied and rewarding social life and worthwhile goals which are enjoyable to pursue tend to be happier than average.
- Wealth is not a good predictor of happiness; people do not grow happier as they grow richer, unless they start below the poverty line. Lottery winners, for instance, are no happier than the rest of us, and despite the massive increase in wealth in developed countries in the last fifty years, levels of happiness have not increased.
- Age, gender, education, nationality and race are unrelated to happiness.
- Spiritually inclined people are generally happier because they have a sense of meaning and a belief in something bigger than themselves that brings hope and optimism and faith, all of which are closely linked to happiness.
All in all, studies support the conclusion drawn by the broadcaster and writer Hugh Downs. ‘A happy person is not a person with a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.’
327 Suffering
Suffering is not inherent to life. We bring suffering upon ourselves through ignorance and by flouting the spiritual laws in our search for happiness
and fulfilment. We give the ego free rein to control our behaviour, whereas our happiness would best be served by letting go of the ego’s thinking and behaviour patterns.
When we grow in understanding we discover the causes of suffering and strive to overcome them. We stop trying to get round the Law of Cause and Effect and ignore the Law of Attraction. We let go of unhealthy desires, accept ourselves and other people, and stop resisting ‘what is’. We stop trying to work out everything intellectually and allow life to flow.
328 Take Responsibility For Your Happiness
We gain a wonderful sense of freedom when we understand that it is not events and circumstances that determine our happiness, but our state of consciousness. We have no control over what others think, say or do. If we rely on these for our happiness, we’re doomed.
As the Greek philosopher Epictetus said, ‘There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of your will.’
Happiness comes from inside. Wherever you go, you take yourself with you. Unless you are happy with yourself, you will not be happy with what you do, where you are, who you’re with, what you achieve or what you have. In fact, you’ll never be happy with life. Period.