Happiness is something we create
One day, one of my friend asked me a question:
“What makes you happy in life?”
Then I answered:
“One day I would be happy if I got a promotion from my office. I would be happy if I could fulfill what my family needs especially my mom. I would be happy if I earn more money and travel as much as I can. I would be happy if at early 30 I have my own a house, blablabla…”
“Um. Okay, so aren’t you happy now?” She probe.
“Oh sure, I’m happy now,” I said.
“But you said that you are happy if one day you blablabla”
.
Then I feel silent and make me think:
— why would I just feel happy IF ONE DAY blablabla?
.
Well, as a human we always manifest for an ideal life or coniditions that will bring us to that kind of happiness. As we grow older, we always have something to achieve and it’s really important to have them so we can be the best version of us. However, if we only feel happy when that “IF”s are become true in the future, we don’t know when we will be happy.
The key is, if we don’t know when we will be happy while we are live in the present, why not make it today?
Did you know, that the idea of the future is bring you more happiness than the future itself? The fact is — that idea is happened today, but the future itself is still uncertain.
I got this framework from the book I just finished, which consist of various ideas from philosophers, one of them is Henri Bregson:
“The idea of the future, pergnant with an infinity of possibilities, is thus more fruithful than the future itself, and this is why we find more charm in hope than in possision, in dreams than reality.”
Well, I often wonder I would be happy if my current life was like the life that other people are living. However, what I often forget is perhaps — at the same time, my life right now is an “IF” for other people.
This makes me realize that the simplest way to be happy is to be present — and grateful for what we have now.
“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” — Albert Camus
If we are busy looking for the meaning of life, when will we be able to live? This situation is the same as when many people try to pursue happiness. In fact, if you want to be happy — just be happy. Happiness does not disappear or run away. We just have to enjoy it.
