Wednesday 30 April 2014

BEING HAPPY

Everyone wants to be happy.The desire to be happy is implicit in all that we do.Being happy can be defined as a state of feeling pleasure or being contented.
It  is important to know the real sources of happiness and how to attain it.One of the ways to achieve happiness is when our desires are fulfilled. For example, when we are hungry and find something to eat especially if it is something we like, we are bound to fill happy .Also, if we love someone we will desire to be with that person and  when we finally do, we feel happy.

However, the fulfillment of every of our desire may not make us happy. There are some desires that if fulfilled will only make us happy up to a point but   makes  us miserable if we don't stop at the right time.Everyone likes ice-cream  for instance. Taking one or two may be pleasurable but taking too much may make us regret it.There are some desires we should not try to satisfy at all because even though we may experience a momentary feeling of joy  when they are fulfilled,  the long term result is that we become deeply unhappy. Drug taking is one obvious example.Another  example is when we shout or curse somebody that has  made us angry. Later we feel awful about it and about ourselves for having spoken ugly words. It is important to recognize those desires  which in the long run are healthy and which ones are unhealthy and damaging.
Ignorance of which path in life  will lead to lasting happiness can corrupt and misdirect our desires  so that their realization will cause us harm sooner  or latter. Often we lack a good sense of right  and wrong when it comes to attaining true happiness, so we stubble around from one bad experience  to  another  wondering about the way out.There are two kinds of happiness;

PHYSICAL HAPPINESS
Physical happiness is associated with our bodies. If we are ill and have to stay in bed, we cannot feel completely happy.. Physical happiness has to do with exercise,  activity, diet, nutrition, sleep and rest. You cannot be happy if you are sick and tired all the time.
For example, we cannot function at  our best  when we are sleep deprived and tired because our thinking, memory, attention, concentration and decision making are bound to be affected. Our physical health is very important to our well being.

INNER HAPPINESS
Inner happiness has to do with our inner health and well being. We  have to imbibe some virtues that will help us remain happy even when circumstances around us is trying to make us unhappy. Virtues like, liking yourself,  forgiving yourself, meditating on positive things like love,making friends with yourself, accepting yourself the way you are, and not taking yourself   too seriously are some of the ways of attaining inner happiness.
Our body functions best when it lives in harmony with the laws of nature. In the same vein, our minds remain healthy and happy when it is in harmony with personal virtues as well as knowing how  to  relate with others.


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