Why Be Happy?
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Are you happy?
We often shy away from this question. Why? Because when we look at the world around us, and all the troubles going on, we might just find that having our own happiness makes us feel guilty.
It is one of the most ludicrous things I can possibly imagine. Why? Because just about everything we are doing with our lives is to find things that make us happy. I’m not writing about that giddy, superficial, momentary thing that makes you feel happy, I’m writing about that satisfaction and contentment that is the root of being contentedly happy.
Why do you live where you live? How come you work the job you work? Why do you date or are you married to or living with that person? How come you chose that hobby? While I have certainly seen a good argument for the idea that feeling necessary and needed is a major part of what drives the things we do, I also thoroughly believe that feeling happy is another major reason.
I recognize that all of my above examples are imperfect. Many people do not live where they most want to live, work the job they most desire, or are in the most ideal relationship or participating in the most desired hobby. Except the primary reason why they probably desire change is because they would prefer a place, career, relationship or activity that makes them feel happier.
When we seek out more positivity in the world, one of the benefits of it is more happiness. When you feel more positive, you tend to feel happier, too. Yet still, because of the less-than-positive state of the world we are frequently presented, being happy seems pretty selfish.
When You are Happy, The World Gets Better
I know that in the face of greed, corruption, inequality, fear and anger we are regularly bombarded with, our own happiness seems pretty selfish, egotistical, even narcissistic. Quite frankly, it’s not.
You deserve to be happy. We are all worthy of feeling happy. Being happy takes nothing away from anyone else, and is totally not selfish. Does your being happy in some way deny another from being happy? Likely not. Ergo, finding things that make you feel happy is not in any way selfish. It does not make you a bad person.
Unless you are consciously trying to keep others down, actively support people who discriminate, disempower, or hurt people intentionally, then you are not a bad person. Being positive and content does no harm. In fact, when you feel positive and content, you gain the ability to spread it. Share it. Assist other people to find it themselves.
We cannot change the world until we change ourselves. Until you and I are reasonable with ourselves and the things we desire to create and have in this world, we are going to have a difficult time doing anything for anyone else. But when we feel good, and we manage to do things or have things that make us happy, we have more to give.
When we are full, then we have the ability to give from our fullness. This is how we can share our time, energy, ideas, love and happiness in order to better the world around us. It begins with you and me, and though it may be a daunting task, we can spread it to make this world better overall.
If you are happy, don’t feel bad about saying yes if someone asks. Be joyful, and see if you can help them to be happy, too.
Finding positivity is not hard, but it does require action
Knowing that when you are happy, there is no reason to feel bad about it, and it gives you the ability to pass on happiness to others. When we allow ourselves to be happy, it generates positivity, and when we can share that with others, ultimately we empower ourselves. When we feel empowered, we become more aware and mindful, and tend to spread that feeling to others around us. As such, we can build more positive feelings.
We can use the positive feelings this generates to dissolve negative feelings. When we eradicate negative feelings, we open up space to let in more positive feelings, and that is something we can be grateful for.
Gratitude leads to happiness. Happiness is the ultimate positive attitude. An attitude of gratitude is a positive attitude that begets even more good energies, and that is always worthwhile.
This is the two-hundred and sixty-second entry of my Positivity series. It is my hope these weekly messages might help spread positive energies for everyone. Feel free to share, re-blog and spread the positivity.
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