These past weeks have been, to say the least, the toughest I’ve had in ages. Nonetheless, there's a thrill of happiness that I always felt but I couldn't understand. It eventually begged the following questions, what makes me happy? What makes me feel powerful, gives me a rush, picks me up when am down, makes me feel like a man? What gets me going in the morning, keeps me going in the afternoon, helps me get a good night's sleep at the end of the day?
These past weeks have been, to say the least, the toughest I’ve had in ages. Nonetheless, there's a thrill of happiness that I always felt but I couldn't understand. It eventually begged the following questions, what makes me happy? What makes me feel powerful, gives me a rush, picks me up when am down, makes me feel like a man? What gets me going in the morning, keeps me going in the afternoon, helps me get a good night's sleep at the end of the day?
Is it the (wo)men? Money? Power? Being liked? Being loved? Is it having a good job to go to, a good car to drive, a good party to crash, a good suit to wear, a good-looking (wo)man to spend time with, a good drink to take the edge off?. Basically what is it that keeps me and all other people on our toes?
It's a highly personal question. Most people will choose not to answer it, at least not give a truly honest answer. It is at that point when without doubt you know that you have many things bound to your happiness. You would realize that, like a drink or a drug addict looking to get his daily fix, many of us too have little control over our emotional well-being. We let nitty-gritty things beyond our control ascertain if we're having a good day, a bad week or a great life. And while not as socially unwelcome as staying drunk or high, many times the things we need to set us right are just as ruinous.
It's easy for us to find those same hang-ups and idiosyncrasies in others. From a mile away, we can spot other people, those with flaws in their personalities. How many times have you talked about a dude who looks gloomy because he's not running after three or four women, a lady who's not happy unless her nails are done, driving an expensive car, a guy feels pompous because he's got somebody's or everyone's attention
And so, what about you? Some years back, a wise old man told me that when happiness is dependent on outside influence it's only short-lived. It's through self-evaluation, an often extremely painful experience, and possibly the hardest thing in life you will ever do that you can be able to measure your happiness. Most of us go through life without ever taking a close look at ourselves, never evaluating our own personal shortcomings, never accepting that we too have let outside influences prevent us from being content with ourselves and our lives. Until we do, we will never realize that true health and happiness can only be found within us. Inner contentment is independent of external forces, and therefore, is more dependable and rewarding. Finding true inner peace in your life is something you will always have, something no one or nothing can take away from you.