More than anything else, I want to be happy. I would be surprised if that were not among your most treasured goals as well.
The quest for sublime happiness is pervasive. It is the snare set by merchandisers to trigger a yearning for their anti-aging lotion, irresistible perfume, figure perfecting camisoles and dazzling white-smile cream. Consumers are hypnotized by the clever, innovative and overwhelming content that confirms the futility of living without their touted product.
When happiness evades expectations, the hopefuls do not abandon pursuit but reach for the next wonder: wealth, fashion, travel, long life, fame or power. A never-ending quest, especially when you acknowledge that it is all fleeting and can be lost faster than Wylie Coyote can fall off a cliff.
So, what do you need to realize happiness, a happiness that can’t be lost, taken away or stolen?
Perhaps question the wisdom of the underlying assumption that happiness exists in possessions or power and consider that anguish stems from the struggle to capture something without form that can only be felt.
What if happiness is just waiting for us to reach inside our souls and embrace it? Did you just laugh at the naïveté of that thought? If you did it is probably because you are thinking “if it were that simple why aren’t we all blossoming with joy?”
One reason is that we have been duped into believing that happiness depends upon finding something that does not exist. We rub the enchanted bottle and fill in the self-serving magic words of the if-then equation: If I get that promotion, make more money, win the lottery, marry well, buy that house then I will be happy.
Expectantly, we wait for a silver and gold clad genie to rise out of the mist offering us a gilded prize that leads directly to audacious happiness. Have you made the genie’s acquaintance? I didn’t think so.
The irony is that, instead of realizing we are wasting our life pursuing a fairy tale, we conclude that we have selected the wrong if. We amend the means to achieve a newer, smarter outcome and the cycle repeats, reinforcing an outstanding strategy for unhappiness.
This is predictable because we see the world as made up of things. What exists to us exists as objects. Thus, the parameters input into the if-then equation are not at fault – it is the equation itself that doesn’t work. The fallacy is devoting attention to the desired outcome and not the process, without even considering the fact that the outcome is not within our control.
You can however, control the process – the interconnected steps and actions taken over time that create small, frequent changes and expand life’s boundaries.
The process is where you will discover your passion. Your passion is where you will uncover your happiness. The stipulation is to make sure the process takes you where you want to go, not where the rest of the world thinks you should be.
When you connect with your passion, everything changes; acquaintances, conversations, what you read and the movies you enjoy. You are no longer obsessed with getting a big promotion or a hefty raise. You make space and time for your own talents, goals and dreams, spend time with your family, take a vacation and check off a few items on your bucket list.
The epiphany is to acknowledge the world as it is and accept its preordained chaos.
Rainbows are not always perfect arcs positioned in the center of the sky, yet mesmerize onlookers with every color in the spectrum. Trees, their leaves clothed in fall colors, clutch rugged slopes at mathematically impossible angles, their branches sheltering tiny sparrows. It is an absolute certainty that the sun is high in the sky at noon even if it is shrouded by darkening clouds.
We gaze at God’s creations, awed by their beauty, perseverance and strength and rarely feel a need to touch them up. We accept them as they are because that is the nature of the universe.
Yet we cannot accept that happiness is already ours for the taking; that at this very moment you have all you need to make life what you want it to be. As humans, our instincts push us to focus on the negative facets of life, avoiding and mitigating potential threats. We continually struggle to change our circumstances and make something happen, buying into the flawed if-then model.
We initiate the cycle by establishing a desired outcome, such as a promotion or a raise. Next, we blindly set off on a journey that repeatedly dissolves into a mindless, desensitizing ritual.
Although self-discipline is commendable and often noble, the journey to success should not depend on deprivation. Most people are unprepared for the sacrifices that suddenly materialize; the many sleepless hours, the toll on relationships, family discord, the cost to physical, emotional, spiritual and mental health, stress and often alienation. It happens that inability to control for outside influences, unexpected circumstances or conflicting plans of indifferent competitors will thwart progress and destroy success.
Be aware that success does not always translate into happiness. A career that you truly enjoy enriches you much more than one you suffer through because it offers a lofty title. The outcome may not be what was anticipated, dreamed of or really wanted in the first place and the quest for happiness dissolves into frustration, blame and disappointment.
It is the process and detours you choose that create the journey.
Do you recall learning to ride a bicycle? Your father attached training wheels that stabilized you as you weaved from one side of the sidewalk to the other. The next day, the training wheels came off and you concentrated on balancing yourself and steering the bike, wondering if you would ever be able to stay upright on a contraption with only two wheels and no safety net.
After a few close calls you shifted your focus from falling and scraping your knee and concentrated on the process. You gave it every single bit you could muster. Your confidence soared and at one point you looked back to see your father standing ten feet behind you.
Your soul sang out.
You were happy because you tried something you had never tried before and conquered it by your own efforts and resolve. At that moment, sharing time with someone or something that made you feel alive, you were aware of life’s pace, tempo and rhythm.
Happiness surfaces when you stop trying to make it all about you and join the flow of energy and consciousness that streams through us all.
What makes your soul sing? Knowing what makes you feel so alive that you want to tap dance through life is central to understanding how to balance unavoidable pressures with inner peace. As our souls shun the toxic people and experiences that hold us captive, we soar to levels where peace is the default.
It is known that the soul flourishes and reveals its authentic essence when it is free to choose without pressure or pretense. It is not a coincidence that great ideas are born exactly when you surrender how you think it should be and embrace what could be.
Even if you claim to be clueless, it is likely your soul already knows what ignites its song. It lies in what you desire such as adventure, freedom, relationships, meaning or purpose in your life. Take a deep breath and listen to what your soul is whispering. What you hear is the amazing wisdom you possess, a power only you can touch.
Trust it. Go with your gut instinct, rely on your intuition and use it wisely.
Avoid getting bogged down by the if-then game. Invest in the process, confident that you have the capacity to make the right move at the right time. Enjoy the journey and rejoice as the pieces fall naturally into place.
Toss aside the impulse to make everything perfect; permit yourself to succeed and prepare to clear a few hurdles. Expect success that will fire up your soul and confirm that you have chosen the right path. That is how we evolve.
Life is a mind-blowing gift whose single prerequisite for being worthy to experience it, is to be alive. Your soul continually craves more because you are capable and worthy of more simply by being here.
Deep down, the soul knows that those things we think are our salvation are things from which we must be shielded if we are to be free to follow something greater than we could ever envision.
Let your soul sing its song!
How Great Thou Art
O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
And when I think of God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And lead me home, what joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow with humble adoration
And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Stuart Keene Hine
How Great Thou Art lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore, Capitol Christian Music Group, Songtrust Ave.