Thursday, January 23, 2014

Forming the Habit

Yesterday I posted, Obtaining true happiness is done like quitting a bad habit,one day at a time. I think you need to form the habit of being happy. People often speak of finding happiness but I don't think you find it, you make it. True happiness is achieved when you can live in harmony with nature and your fellow man. It is not am easy accomplishment. There are those that will never realize this, and sadly, there are those that will just quit trying. Happiness does not come overnight. True happiness is really more contentment. Contentment and satisfaction. The emotion we call happy is a fleeting thing, an aberration, a spike on a graph. Contentment is the base line, the norm.It is the establishment of this baseline that is the key to " finding " happiness. This must be well defined in order to proceed. As with anything else, if there is nothing to compare it to, or measure it against, how can we know ? We require a standard. The standard will vary for each of us. We need to recognize those things that bring us this feeling of contentment and satisfaction.
It is our everyday conduct that controls this. The way we act and react with nature and our fellow humans.
For me, the guide book is the Bible. The Bible pretty much tells us how we need to treat each other, our world and indeed ourselves. If we follow the precepts outlined in that book we can achieve all things. The amount we reference this book will also vary from individual to individual. That is okay. We do not need to all be Biblical scholars to understand the lessons. I also feel that this book does teach us , in actuality compel us, to spread the word. I do not think that it means I must hit you over the head with it each time we meet however. Following it's teaching should become a habit and habits take time to develop. It is an ironic mystery in the universe how bad habits develop so quickly, yet good ones so slowly. I think the answer has something to do with gratification rather than happiness. The old I want it now syndrome. It does take a number of years and a level of maturity to overcome that. Often I find myself struggling with just that dilemma. Patience is indeed a virtue.
Being happy is not being in conflict. To not be in conflict with yourself, your world or those around you. That is being happy. The possessing of material things is not happiness, although it does make it easier to cope, that can not be denied. No, happiness ( contentment ) comes with being comfortable with you who are. Once you can accept that, the rest becomes a little easier. The trick lies in accepting others first. Love thy brother as thyself. Sound familiar ? By accepting others you can begin to establish a baseline in our own life. You do need something to compare. Do not be fooled by material wealth or possessions of others. Those things will go away. Great wealth can be a distraction. Focus instead upon making your own happiness. There is no one that can give that to you. Form the habit of being happy. It can be done, one day at a time.

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