We, humans, are often dissatisfied with whatever we have been offered in life. We wish to have a better job, a more beautiful house, a fancier car, luckier stars, and everything on a superlative scale because that’s what usual human perception is. As the saying goes “grass is greener on the other side”. However, this quality in humans is also a reason that we thrive by improving ourselves. But the flip side to it is in the pursuit of happiness we never know where to curb it. This again is perhaps the commonest cause of frustration and low self-esteem. It’s prudent to improve oneself for a brighter tomorrow. But when to call it an achievement and when to continue aspiring for more depends on how well a person understands himself.
I realized if a genie walks onto this earth and gives each of us a choice to shuffle our shoes with whoever we want. I am sure no intelligent person can choose any. The fact is if someone is pecuniarily rich, he may be poor in health or relationships may be unhappy. Nobody in this world has been spared from holding grief on their backpack of experiences in life.
So, this choice of spotting one person and then shuffling shoes and walking ahead is far fancier than factual.
If you ask oneself whether a teenager or a supposedly matured person in the 4th, 5th, or 6th decade of life or even an octogenarian, some triggers of happiness are common.
- A new shirt
- A gift from a loved one. Coffee with a friend.
- A nice haircut, a meal cooked by a loved one.
- A phone call from children, siblings, or good friends.
These are the myriad of blessings of life taken for granted. When such simple priceless things can release our happy endorphins, why should we crave more? This unrealistic yearning makes a man feel that Mr. X is happier because he drives a Tesla or lives in a grand house. But prying nearer you may find his family life or health is in crumbles. The fact is if one has a happy home that dines, wine, and sleeps under one roof with happy vibes, there is a no bigger blessing.
We often thus overlook these priceless triggers for happiness and aspire for more. Wealth can never buy ecstasy. Being content is a personalized, internalized perception. One needs to subdue the inferno of baseless feelings that can breach our internal tranquility. The fact remains that nobody in this world is free from hardships, grief, pain, and hurdles. But at the same time, everyone has blessings to be grateful for. The fact that we have seen the light of this day, that we had a good meal and enjoyed the warmth of a happy family is not to be taken for granted. Nobody in this world has an all-rosy life.
Work, home, family, health, siblings, children, friends everything is never in the order in anyone’s life. One source of pain is enough to dampen all other springs of happiness. This is the truth in everyone’s life. The difference is some highlight their curses and others are thanksgiving by nature. In the end, it’s our attitude towards life that builds our spirit. If on honestly look in, we can perceive that my misfortunes are better than another’s. For with every disaster the path to elucidation lightens up. Once we are done with it we learn gratitude, humility, and the art of being cheerful. The plethora of diverse events in life helps us to realise that we are best where we are and the unrealistic desire to crave for someone else’s life is asinine.