It's Okay To Not Be Happy All The Time

Don’t blame yourself, it happens to the “best” of us

Person standing near body of waterPhoto byPhoto by José M. Reyes on UnsplashonUnsplash

“Are you happy?” Whenever I see someone showing an unhappy face, I tease them by asking this question “Are you happy?” And I’m always surprised by their answer, which may not be surprising to you, “What should I be happy for?”

We live in a world in which our sense of happiness has been conditioned, to be tied to objects, and outcomes. Like in the animal kingdom, we still function within the walls of “reward” and “punishment.” To reinforce this pattern to an even greater extent, we have happy meals, we’re told that we’re special when we wear expensive brands, or buy certain objects. Our lives are boring. We’re fed up with the repetition of it all. And to save ourselves from this desert, we’re willing to drink anything.

What we’re not quick to realize is that, living like this diminishes our experience of life. We’re always preoccupied by something, or someone, that may be the key that finally unlocks our lives. Whatever that may mean.

In the meantime, we’re not appreciating the beauty of Nature as an example. We’re not looking at the sky, listening to the birds, touching the trees and feeling their textures. We’re not aware of the beings around us. We live with people but we don’t feel connected to each other. Life slips through our fingers, and when we realize we’ve not lived like we would’ve like to — we’re restless. And we blame ourselves, once again.

It’s true that exploring ourselves, finding what we’re capable of doing through the accomplishment of our goals, and eventually earning more of whatever we’re looking for; it’s true that it’s fun. But let’s not play so much at the game that it becomes a reality. If we’re attached to outcomes and objects, we’ll keep feeling miserable as long as we don’t have them. We’ll probably fool ourselves too by saying that it doesn’t matter, when in fact, deep inside, we’re unable to sit still because of the pressure.

Plus, no one wants to deal with us when we’re needy or desperate — not even life. The best way to get whatever we want is by functioning to the best of our abilities. And to do that, we must approach life with an open heart, and a clear mind.

No matter where you are right now, no matter what you do, take three deep breathes, and appreciate the moment. Whatever you’re looking for, it will come to you, don’t let it be all that matters to you however because otherwise, someday, you will realize the most important thing about life is, well, living. And living means being fully appreciative of every instant.

As a final note.

If you’ve been meditating, using affirmations and thinking positively for a while now, without necessarily integrating spiritual truths at a soul level even though you understand them intellectually — I’ve written a book to help you understand the main blocks to true spiritual growth, and how to overcome them. Whether you’d like to buy a copy or simply give it a look, you’ve got nothing to lose. Give Spiritual Transition a look here.