Happiness is Invaluable. Heartfelt Humanifesting. It is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence. Let’s get into it. Also; It’s Madaraka Day in Kenya. And I hazard…since it’s not yet Huru; that Happiness is the true freedom. Especially here. Especially today. Especially for me.
Happiness is not how your life appears, it is the quality of your connection to it.
Virginia Woolf talks about happiness in the reverse when she says:
There is a kind of sadness that comes from knowing too much, from seeing the world as it truly is. It is the sadness of understanding that life is not a grand adventure, but a series of small, insignificant moments, that love is not a fairy tale, but a fragile, fleeting emotion, that happiness is not a permanent state, but a rare, fleeting glimpse of something we can never hold onto. And in that understanding, there is a profound loneliness, a sense of being cut off from the world, from other people, from oneself.
Perfectly Articulate. A feeling many people flirt with many moments(sometimes multiple times in a day) of their life. Many may call it bleak. But as I think a lot about Virginia’s words and the depth she was conveying; I lean to the poised point she makes that I take away. The counter-poison in the poison. Of awareness. Especially today. Why? This Sun-Day See-Yourself Best Day, I learnt this cool new word, that brought things to a full circle about this intangible called happiness.
sophrosyne ~ A healthy state of mind, characterised by self-control, moderation and a deep awareness of one's true self, resulting in true happiness.
But what is true happiness? Is true happiness ever attainable or is it just a fleeting state? And how honest must we be with ourselves in order to know…truly know happiness?
& The big one; Can Money Buy Happiness?
Well…
Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being content has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand.
Happiness is learnt
Naval Ravikant says: "Success does not earn happiness." Which might explain why so many billionaires still do silent retreats, search for shamans, or start Twitter fights.
THE WORLD(read politics, consumerism, technological advancement, entertainment…you name it) IS increasingly designed to depress us. Happiness isn't very good for the economy. If we were happy with what we had, why would we need more? How do you sell an anti-ageing moisturiser? You make someone worry about ageing. How do you get them to buy insurance? By making them worry about everything. How do you get them to have plastic surgery? By highlighting their physical flaws. How do you get them to watch a TV show? By making them worry about missing out. How do you get them to buy a new smartphone? By making them feel like they are being left behind. FOMO is helluva drug over JOMO.
Chasing happiness will not get you where you want to be. The moment that you stop chasing it; it will come to you.
To be calm becomes a kind of revolutionary act. To be happy with your own non-upgraded existence. To be comfortable with our messy, human selves, would not be good for business. Sometimes happiness isn’t hard work. That’s in other circles considered internalized capitalism. Modern capitalism is a pro at two things: generating wealth and generating envy. Perhaps they go hand in hand; wanting to surpass your peers can be the fuel of hard work. But life isn't any fun without a sense of enough. Happiness, as it's said, is just results minus expectations.
Peter McGraw, behavioral economist and humor researcher (yes, that's a real job), proposed that there is no single path to happiness; only many types of people trying to make peace with life’s absurdity. Some chase meaning. Others crave play. Some are seekers, others finders. But the real trick? Knowing your type and learning to dance with it, not against it. (Even if the music is off-key.)
According to the theories of psychologist Ronald Stone and the biomedical engineering models of Itshak Bentov: When your left brain; the ever-so-judgy, logical librarian; is lulled into boredom or trance, the right hemisphere (the non-verbal, poetic, pattern-loving part) opens the floodgates. Suggest you’re numb? You’ll feel it. Suggest you’re elated? Euphoria follows.
Translation: Happiness can be programmed.
That’s either deeply empowering or terrifying, depending on who holds the mic. Somewhere between serotonin and cynicism: who is speaking into your subconscious?
Happiness Requires Presence(Built by Habits)
I just started The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. The morning pages and the Artist’s Date are daunting but necessary. I welcome any and all challenges at more elevated awareness. Of self and others. Julia Cameron's views on happiness emphasize finding joy in small things and nurturing creativity. She suggests that happiness isn't about grand achievements but about cultivating a capacity for delight in everyday experiences. This involves recognizing and actively inviting pleasure, delight, and playfulness into one's life. I’m learning and taking you with me. These nine principles collectively represent the pathway toward true transformation and success…at happiness.
Harvest – The act of gathering the rewards of effort, cultivating success from persistence and growth.
Harmony – Achieving balance and peace, aligning all aspects of life in perfect synchronicity.
Health– Engaging in habits and practices that promote well-being in mind, body, and spirit.
Healing – The process of recovery and restoration, both physically and emotionally, to achieve total well-being.
Hilarity – The joy and laughter that arises from inner peace and joy, contributing to a life full of lightness
Holistic – Viewing life as a complete whole, where every aspect is interconnected for ultimate balance.
Honour – The practice of respecting oneself, others, and life’s experiences, creating deep meaning and authenticity.
Heartening – Uplifting and encouraging others, providing emotional support that inspires courage and strength.
Happiness – A state of fulfillment and joy, the ultimate goal of inner harmony and contentment.
Harvesting joy and fulfillment requires the delicate balance of mind, body, and spirit, rooted in Harmonizing our inner selves with the world around us. When we embrace Healthful living and Happiness, we begin to align ourselves with the universal flow of energy, creating a life full of purpose, peace, and empowerment. This holistic approach; one that celebrates courage, love, and bravery; becomes the foundation for transformative success.
American Psychologist Carl Rogers said:
It seems to me that the good life is not any fixed state. It is not, in my estimation, a state of virtue, or contentment, or nirvana, or happiness. It is not a condition in which the individual is adjusted or fulfilled or actualized...The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination.
I am leaning into encouraging myself to learn to be in a space where every thought, action, and interaction serves as a catalyst for Happiness. We build from within, cultivating strength and resilience to uplift both self and others. In this Space, true Happiness ONLY arises from a blend of wisdom, vulnerability, and authentic connection; creating; even in business(especially in business); abundance for those seeking not just growth, but true balance.
I used to think it's so foolish for people to want to be happy. Happy? Happy is so momentary…fleeting--you're happy for an instant and then you start thinking again. I thought(only) that Interest is the most important thing in life; happiness is temporary, but interest is continuous. Yet now; I hold space for both. Two sides of the curiosity coin. You can’t have one without the other.
In the end, Dear Gentle Reader; there is no one remarkable life. There are remarkable lives. Of Happiness and Possibilities.
Happiness, laughter, peace, and wealth will surround you because you are worthy of it.
The year started with a full tab of 12 months of success, 52 weeks of laughter, 366 days of fun, 8,784 hours of joy, 527,040 minutes of good luck, and 31,622,400 seconds of happiness. The sand is halfway through the eye of the storm(adventure) and the hourglass is emptying.
And…I know everyone's talking about getting a bag as a response to everything these days, but get some REST, some LOVE, some HUGS, some LAUGHTER, some ENLIGHTENMENT, some GOOD INTENTIONS, some PURPOSE, some romanticism, some INTEGRITY, some TRUST, some GENUINE CONNECTIONS, some HAPPINESS, some SILENCE, some COMFORT... and most of all, some PEACE(I am an eternal optimist).
I tried it on for size myself. The shoe fits.
Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.
So bring your magnifying glass closer to the present moment. Peer in.
If you are alive...
If you are thinking...
If you are trying...
If you are being...
...there is reason to be happy in this moment.
And in this one as well...
And in this one too...
And this one too...
Think you’ll be happy.
Have a lovely Sunday ✨🦋
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