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Understanding Happiness, The Human Problem and Britney Spears
Sukun
May 25, 2024
What’s in store today:
-Understanding Happiness
-The Human Problem
-Making time count
Very few things in the world are as universal and yet subjective as the notion of happiness.
No matter what background, status or education one has, happiness as the ultimate goal rules everything, for everyone.
Given it’s profound influence on our lives, its puzzling why so many of us are unhappy in spite of ‘having it all.’
Perhaps our understanding of happiness has created a gap between what we think will make us happy and what truly does.
While the rest of the world has been caught up in the trap of dopamine thrills and constant dissatisfaction, there is a wise man sitting in the hills of Dharamsala merrily enjoying his life, in the happiest state possible. .
His name is Tenzin Gyatso, better known as the Dalai Lama.
For someone who has dedicated his life to spreading the message of happiness and peace, it’s worth exploring the driving forces that guide him.
Here are his key four principles:
1.Purpose: Happiness comes from being useful and having a life’s purpose. Contrary to what we’ve been given to believe, our highest purpose is caring for others and lifting each other up.
2.Service: Unhappiness stems from self-centeredness. We become unhappy when we’re in our unnatural state, which involves only thinking of ourselves. When we start focusing on other people we begin to realize true happiness.
3.Engagement: How intellectually engaged we are with our work directly affects happiness levels. Our hearts are most happy when our brains are fully engaged in our pursuits.
4.Oneness: All of misery in the world is rooted in separation and judgment. Happiness comes from love for others and shifting towards unity and oneness.
in essence, the things we often overlook hold the greatest power.
Which of these principles do you already/ are willing to apply in your life?
The human problem
Humans are pleasure-seeking animals.
We thrive on hacks and shortcuts, prefer convenience over hard work and are perpetually seeking temporary fixes on the outside instead of directing responsibility inwards.
In the process of all this, we lose out on a very key component of our existence- the truth.
My guest Kapil Gupta, talks very passionately about this subject as evident in this conversation.
If your mind is open and curious enough to explore the path of seeking the truth, I dare you to tune in to this episode.
Making time count
One wouldn’t expect to be transported back to childhood from a salon but I had that experience recently.
While getting a haircut, ‘Baby One More Time’ started playing.
I used to be obsessed with Britney Spears. Would jam to her tunes during my car rides to school.
The nostalgia hit me hard…
In that moment, I realized how quickly life passes us by.
One minute you’re carefree about the world, lost in your happy bubble, the next you’re stressed about how to make an impact in your remaining time on this planet.
Once you’re in your 30’s time seems to be on steroids, which is another reason to not take time for granted, as we so often do.
Every minute counts. Because hours turn into days, days into weeks, weeks into months and months into years. Before you know it, years turn into a lifetime.
When you think of time this way, it highlights that failing to do something meaningful each day can eventually lead to regret.
This is a scary feeling in itself.
A way to ease that stress is to leave procrastination for tomorrow. Today, make your time count.
On a lighter note, what was your favorite track growing up?
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