5 ms·

I'm getting to this point in my life right now. Realising and trying to accept happiness is a state of mind. It's rather new to me and it's a struggle most days

I'm getting to this point in my life right now. Realising and trying to accept happiness is a state of mind. It's rather new to me and it's a struggle most days. Any advice?

jfoutz 13y ago
That gratitude habit helps. Try writing down 3 things a day for a few weeks that you're grateful for. It'll force you to actively seek positive, fulfilling things in your life. Hopefully it'll soak up some of the time you would spend thinking about things you're lacking.
- krmmalik 13y ago
  I have started a gratitude habit but i should do it more. Good idea!
Lucy_karpova 13y ago
Well, if you just imagine for a second that you're dead now, and none of the happy things are available for you: walking. smiling, talking, even breathing. Nothing. You can't lift your hand and your hand is not yours. If you really Can imagine this, then none of the struggles are left. Life is freedom to be happy Every single moment. Or not to be. You decide:).
- krmmalik 13y ago
  That's a tough one but a good way to look at. I'm going to be more conscious of this for the future :)
moron4hire 13y ago
In the early days, it was easy for me with the flood fresh in my mind, I could say, "at least I didn't get dysentery." Living in a 1st world country tends to give one a lot of things for which they should really rather be grateful. I try to remember that I live in the absolute best times in history. 200 years ago, even kings couldn't live as well as I do, now. I've got air conditioning. I've got running water that is both hot AND cold. None of my family died from tuberculosis. I can be reasonably sure nobody is going to invade my country and kill my kin. I don't personally know anyone who has ever had dysentery. And sometimes I just wallow in sadness. It feels good sometimes. Sleep in. Eat a cheeseburger. Eat 3 cheeseburgers. Play a video game. Play a video game for 5 hours. Sometimes things have to get worse before they are big enough to get rid of. It's a conscious decision, every day. That's part of why I go by "moron4hire". It's a reminder that, despite my ambitions and my progress, I'm a base idiot compared to some other people. I still work and try to do more, but it's because I know that it will help people, not because it will make me happy.
- krmmalik 13y ago
  Thank you. I appreciate the insight.
SupremumLimit 13y ago
For me, it's simply about making the choice again and again. It still hasn't become natural, but the realisation itself that I have a choice to be happy is helpful, even if I sometimes struggle with actually making the choice.
- krmmalik 13y ago
  That's the key thing. Part of me had wondered if it had become natural for most people. I've been giving myself a hard time unnecessarily.
prostoalex 13y ago
Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now" talks about the process and how your mind (amygdala, really) will try to distract you from that mission.

I'm getting to this point in my life right now. Realising and trying to accept happiness is a state of mind. It's rather new to me and it's a struggle most days. Any advice?

jfoutz 13y ago

That gratitude habit helps. Try writing down 3 things a day for a few weeks that you're grateful for. It'll force you to actively seek positive, fulfilling things in your life. Hopefully it'll soak up some of the time you would spend thinking about things you're lacking.

krmmalik 13y ago
I have started a gratitude habit but i should do it more. Good idea!

Lucy_karpova 13y ago

Well, if you just imagine for a second that you're dead now, and none of the happy things are available for you: walking. smiling, talking, even breathing. Nothing. You can't lift your hand and your hand is not yours. If you really Can imagine this, then none of the struggles are left. Life is freedom to be happy Every single moment. Or not to be. You decide:).

krmmalik 13y ago
That's a tough one but a good way to look at. I'm going to be more conscious of this for the future :)

moron4hire 13y ago

In the early days, it was easy for me with the flood fresh in my mind, I could say, "at least I didn't get dysentery." Living in a 1st world country tends to give one a lot of things for which they should really rather be grateful. I try to remember that I live in the absolute best times in history. 200 years ago, even kings couldn't live as well as I do, now. I've got air conditioning. I've got running water that is both hot AND cold. None of my family died from tuberculosis. I can be reasonably sure nobody is going to invade my country and kill my kin. I don't personally know anyone who has ever had dysentery. And sometimes I just wallow in sadness. It feels good sometimes. Sleep in. Eat a cheeseburger. Eat 3 cheeseburgers. Play a video game. Play a video game for 5 hours. Sometimes things have to get worse before they are big enough to get rid of. It's a conscious decision, every day. That's part of why I go by "moron4hire". It's a reminder that, despite my ambitions and my progress, I'm a base idiot compared to some other people. I still work and try to do more, but it's because I know that it will help people, not because it will make me happy.

krmmalik 13y ago
Thank you. I appreciate the insight.

SupremumLimit 13y ago

For me, it's simply about making the choice again and again. It still hasn't become natural, but the realisation itself that I have a choice to be happy is helpful, even if I sometimes struggle with actually making the choice.

krmmalik 13y ago
That's the key thing. Part of me had wondered if it had become natural for most people. I've been giving myself a hard time unnecessarily.

prostoalex 13y ago

Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now" talks about the process and how your mind (amygdala, really) will try to distract you from that mission.