If You Want to Be Happy, Don’t….

… From Jonathan Mead:

In reality, it’s the tension of your mind that causes unhappiness.  If you’re not happy, it’s because your mind is focused on something that’s making you unhappy.  And why is your mind doing this?  Because you’re stuck in a viciouscycle of misdirected judgment, productivity and purpose that has you thinking about every imaginable time and place, except right here, right now.  That’s not to say being productive is irresponsible, or that pursuing goals that have a purpose is wrong.  The problem occurs when you base your entire reason for living on a point in time – an activity or achievement – that doesn’t yet exist. ….

Sometimes…

• The smartest way to be happy with the place you live is to stop chasing the mansion you see on HGTV with five bedrooms, a pool, a fireplace, and a three-car garage.
• The best way to solve the problem of not having lots of friends is to stop worrying about having more, and instead appreciate the few good ones you do have.
• The simplest way to be content with yourself is not to achieve high admiration and praise from others, but to accept yourself fully for who you are now.
• The quickest route to happiness is to stop the pursuit of finding happiness and start the process of being happiness.

By letting go a little we immediately release ourselves of the grasping tension of the mind.  But it’s not easy to stay in this mindset (the mind loves to hold on); it’s something we have to constantly cultivate.