What Is Happiness and Why Is It Important?

What Is Happiness and Why Is It Important?

 It is momentary- like a child who breaks one toy and then wants another toy, and then yet another. What are we looking for? If we are looking for happiness, shouldn't it be permanent?

 - By itself, happiness should be a permanent and lasting emotion. when it comes naturally to us , we  won't  be dependent on anything outside, But the moment we make happiness dependent on something,  it becomes a fleeting emotion. 

Simply put , if you look for happiness outside of you , you are dependent on a situation to be favorable. Happiness now becomes conditional and fleeting. If I am happy only when the weather is pleasant, my feeling good is dependent on the weather. I will not allow myself to feel nice if it gets hotter or colder. 

How can one be happy without desires and dependencies?

-That's  probably one of the oldest  belief systems we have allowed ourselves to live by- the belief that happiness is to be acquired from the outside, whether it's from achievements or from people or from what we are. The equation has been 'I am doing this so  that will feel happy'. So the dependency is on the act being performed in the right manner. This belief is ingrained  right from childhood. Parents feel good when the child gets good marks, when the child performs well,  when the child dresses up well, and so on. 

slowly a child is conditioned to believe that he is responsible for his parents' happiness. If they are happy, he can be happy too, and not otherwise.

   Can you share the meaning of happiness and explain how to experience it without any dependency?

-First and foremost, let's see the factors we have made it dependent  on. The simplest dependency that we experience on a daily  is on objects. We say 'I'll feel happy when I buy a new car; I'll feel happy when I buy new property ; I am  happy when I go shopping.'

 Is there truth in this ? Are these dependences actually making us happy?

I certainly will be happy if I buy a new car.

Of course, you will, but is it the car that is giving you the happiness you are looking for?

   I will be happy when I have a new car.. which means, if I don't, then there's a question mark on my happiness. This also means that 10 days down the line, if the car gets a scratch or a bump, my happiness is again going to get affected, because I have conditioned myself into believing that it is the car that is giving me happiness. now that is not true. you uy a new car - the most expensive car in the world. I feel comfortable sitting in the car. so who is experiencing the comfort? it's the body. Plush seats, the best music system and a powerful AC. There is flawless  physical comfort . I feel comfortable sitting in the car and tell myself that I am feeling good. Suppose at that moment I get a phone call giving me news of an unpleasant situation at home. Will I still be happy?

   No, I cannot be. But I am still in the most comfortable car. Here we need to understand that the car was designed to give me physical comfort and it will continue to give me physical comfort, irrespective of my situations.

  

Credit: BK SHIVANI

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