I deluded myself and thought that certain things have to be fixed first in order to feel happy and fulfilled.
But think about it, when you say you want to have more money, why is that? You might answer that you want to enjoy the freedom it gives you. It allows you to travel some more, or have more time for your friends, family and children.
And why is that? You may say because then you would see the world and write that novel you always wanted to write, or you could teach your kids how to throw ball.
And why is that?
You may say, because THEN I will be happy!
So why not go for “happy” in the first place?
Happiness is the only goal…
Just different people have different ideas of what this “happiness” means to them.
Why would you go for the long route when there is a shortcut.
Of course money can allow you to buy some degree of freedom, so getting more money is a reasonable goal. And we’ll get it.
But in order to get to happiness in the fastest possible way, let’s cut out all the unnecessary layers we often put in between us and our goal (=happiness).
Here are the obstacles of happiness which hinder you from achieving a fulfilled and joyful life:
Sickness, inertia, doubts, laziness, carelessness, vacillating, lack of progress, delusions, falling backwards… try to remove them all as best as you can out of your life.
The path to happiness involves being as healthy as we can in all areas: physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
PHYSICALLY
Work out a lot.
Exercise, or go for a run.
Even going for a walk can work wonders. Just do something.
We can exercise, we can try to eat healthy, we can sleep eight hours, we can avoid alcohol and other foods or liquids that are either hard to digest or will later inhibit the brain cells we desperately need to enjoy quality of life in our elder years.
I’m not advocating being super extreme and go the vegan-yogi-weight-lifter route, but just try to be aware of it.
EMOTIONALLY
Handle your emotions.
Watch your emotions and identify bad ones as soon as they arise.
Find the cause of it and tackle it.
Try to remove your ego out of your life as much as possible.
Drop the hate towards other people. And dissolve old conflicts so you no longer have to dwell on it. If somebody wronged you, forgive them and forget it.
Only this way you can enjoy your present moments.
MENTALLY
You have to control your mind and put it in a condition where it can work its magic.
Therefore meditate and relax.
Escape the hectic day-to-day schedules and work routines. Take time for yourself and plan a 20 minute meditation session per day! It will benefit you in the long run, because you make smarter decisions, become more creative and much more.
Your mind needs to be as sharp and creative as possible.
You need this for two reasons.
One, so you are CREATIVE enough to achieve the success and money that will allow you to pursue and purchase your freedom.
And two, so you learn to identify when you are holding on to wrong and old thought patterns. We have to learn when it is time to let go of certain ideals and constructs we have made up in our mind.
Both are important aspects in achieving happiness.
SPIRITUALLY
This word has a bad reputation.
Just like organized religion, which many people despise and have rebelled against.
But what I really mean is “surrender”.
If you wanted the Earth to move out of its orbit from the Sun, you couldn’t do it and you’ll give up.
You would try (somehow, I don’t even know how you would try) and then finally you’d say, “I give up. I can’t do it”.
In general, life is just like that.
We have dreams, most of them don’t work out, and we can either continue to force those dreams into place, or we give up.
Giving up doesn’t have to be a sad thing. It’s a transition. It’s a little death.
Sometimes you are just on the floor, failure has slashed you again, and all you can do is look up at the sky and say:
“You win. I give up. Tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it!”
And you hand yourself over.
(To whom?)
Not to God.
Not to an old man with a beard living up in the sky.
But to life…
And to yourself.
—
Because deep inside you there is a creative force that desperately wants you to succeed.
It wants you to make a lot of money.
It wants you to fall in love and to be happy.
This force is guiding you.
And it wants you to free yourself from the constraints of an unsatisfying job. It wants you to allow you to pursue the exploration of the happiness which is already around you.
You just have to stop getting into its way…
