I used to hate that question. It’s such a loaded question. Like, if you answer yes, you are supposed to justify it. And, if you answer, no, then you’re down some other path. Either it’s about how that person can help you be happy or some other useless judgement about it. So, it seemed to me you’re screwed either way.
Now I think about happiness quite different. Having read all the books and thought about it for years I’m certain the entire idea of happiness is a joke.
It’s like one of my teachers says, people are more unhappy than they are happy. It’s obvious from the looks on their faces and from what they talk about, but his point is something much more simple. That it’s evident in the fact most people always want something. And, as he says, if you’re happy, if you’re content, you don’t want anything, but when you’re unhappy that’s when you believe something will change that.
But, of course, we all know that is false. Right? Like, when did you last get something that made you happy forever? It’s more like you get that quick shot of happiness, but like a double espresso, a few hours later you’re looking for your next shot. So, it seems to me, you can keep going after more shots of happiness, or you can just stop all that nonsense and know that none of it will ever bring you happiness, because happiness comes from somewhere else.
It doesn’t come from meeting some man or woman. Or from your team winning. Or from that new car or dress or bag or house or job you think is that one thing that when you have it you’ll be happy, but instead it comes from you. It comes from choice. It comes from your decision to choose to fill your mind with ideas that make you feel happy right now.
I know that’s not always easy to see so instead I’ll give you an easier thing to do for happiness. Just smile. And laugh. More. At anything. At everything. At your problems. At things you don’t want. At things you do want. At kids playing. Birds flying. Cats cleaning themselves with their tongues. Just smile and laugh more. Really. At everything. Anything. Even if you fake smile and laugh you’ll feel happy, and at some point you’ll forget you’re faking it and you’ll catch yourself off guard being happy.