We’re not completely independent beings.
While we strive to cultivate as much internal happiness as possible, the truth is we still depend on external things for some level of comfort, pleasure, and life satisfaction.
These external things can be our relationships, our work, our hobbies, or personal interests such as books, movies, or music.
The key to balancing happiness among these external things is to be able to draw happiness from as many different sources as possible.
The more things that provide you with happiness, the more freedom and choice you have to find happiness when you really need it.
But if your happiness only depends on one thing, then you have to cling to that one thing to be happy.
And when that one thing doesn’t work out, there is nowhere else to turn to fulfill that need for happiness.
We can draw happiness from as many different sources as possible by embracing everything that’s good in life, rather than just one thing.
One of my favorite quotes on happiness is by Henry Ward Beecher, who said, “The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.”
Happiness isn’t about winning the lottery, or becoming famous, or having a fancy car. Happiness is about making the most of what is already available to us.
Pay attention to the simple pleasures in life. We don’t have to look far to experience happiness, it’s often right under our noses. Also try to diversify your experiences. Don’t get caught in the “curse of familiarity.”
Often we forget how many new and positive experiences are available to us. Try to step outside of your routine every now and then and indulge yourself in activities you don’t usually do.
By doing this, you’ll have a richer reservoir of happiness to draw from on a daily basis.
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