In Pursuit of Happiness

Posted 2/15/07 (By Travis)

2/15/07 Neoperspectives.com

If happiness, true long term happiness, is the goal of life, and what else could supercede this?, then it follows that we must tirelessly pursue our own happiness through whatever means possible. As stated in 'Personal and Mental Responsibility' Part I and Part II, it is imperative we recognize happiness comes entirely from within us and we alone are responsible for it. Despite the great difficulties, we can change our conscious experience, we can become better people and happier people, the terms are synonymous, and eventually even fundamentally modify our conscious experience, attaining a greater level of control over our thoughts and emotions.

The hardest part is maintaining focus on this goal. The mind will utilize every trick in the book to prevent our will from achieving respectable power. Constant distractions, petty desires, recurrent thoughts, emotional and biologic swings all compete to dilute steadfastness. To think, "I would only be happy if..." is to know the treachery of the mind.

A relentless, ruthless, take no prisoners approach, defined somewhat distinct from this agitating verbiage, may be necessary in order to assure nothing becomes a greater priority and nothing stands in our way. This approach bears fruit regardless of starting point, past actions and experiences, and outside influences. Adverse life events and/or a genetic shafting may conspire to deliver a 'raw deal', yet to view life as such brings only cynicism and delusion. Intrinsic in such interpretation is external comparisons to others, a path shrouded in fallacious verdict. Little good can come of such contrastations, or from dwelling on or lamenting past events. Instead, attempt to approach each moment as a new person, free from weighty entanglements.

The first step is becoming aware of what exists to change, along with the wonderfulness of what is. Take joy even in your faults, for they are the essence of humanness and, like 'gems', provide opportunity to learn and advance. Concomitantly, we must vigilantly seek out positive influences to facilitate this introspection and advancement regardless of venue; environment, therapy, drugs, habits, and many others are all of vital importance. Positive environments have been previously discussed, but what about therapy and drugs? Aren't those only for people who have something wrong with them? This misconception stems from a lack of societal humility. There is something 'wrong' with all of us! Counseling benefits anyone, especially if approached with the proper intention. In fact, don't we do a form of this, if differently labeled, with friends and family everyday? The same with medications, just because we are not functionally deficient, as defined when compared to others, does not mean we are living up to our own potentials. Medications, even in small doses, if used carefully and prudently can be used as a crutch and give us a sense of what 'normal' is, and by 'normal' I mean normal for us, individually, better and happier, without contrast to the general population. Diet is an important form of medication, or vice versa depending on your semantic preference, there is really little difference between the two; rigid categories with walls of judgment as separation rarely prove accurate.

Constant internal monitoring is perhaps the most important aspect of self improvement and increased happiness as it aids in the development of positive habits. When you exercise, how do you feel? Better or worse? The areas in your life and mind that you've marked for improvement, how do these fare after a given activity, after a few distinct given meals? Generic advice is always useful as a general guide to healthy living and happiness, but self feedback is infinitely more important, as individual differences are prolific enough to negate many assumed commonalities. As an aside, it is unfortunate the medical establishment and government agencies appear remiss in subscription.

The point is, everything we do and everything around us has an effect on any given mental part of us, and any given mental part of us has an effect on every other mental, and even physical, part of us. Somewhat paradoxically, every single thing we do is so important and effects us so much, yet we cannot let the importance consume us. Almost as if to have passion divulged of negative emotion, a controlled, compassionate, and calm passion.

This calm, almost uncaring, passion not only increases happiness and control, but also results in increased discernment, allowing one to view things as they actually are, without the pre categorizing, associating, and attachment of mental baggage. If this happy passion is directed at oneself, and is able to thwart the protective barriers of the ego and the mind, increased lucency of the self and the nature of consciousness is possible.

Forsaken amongst previously mentioned tools necessary to increase happiness, free will, and this passion/joy of life, is the focal key: meditation. Meditation, prayer, concentration, focus, relaxation, interchangeable terms again designate virtually the same entity, is of critical importance. We all do a form of this everyday, but a more sustained, focused, and productive specialization and application, swirled with some individual tailorship, would surely prove uniformly positive.

See also, 'Personal Responsibility, Mental Responsibility Part II'