Happiness is something that every human being is yearning for from the very beginning of his birth. It is the guiding motive that makes his life moving. Everyone wants happiness, irrespective of whether he is a king or a beggar; rich or poor; thief or saint; or man or God. Happiness is the whole purpose of life. Varieties of approaches are going on in different sectors of life to understand the real nature of happiness. Even scientific studies are being carried out to explore the secrets behind this wonderful sensation with respect to human brain.  People define happiness with different viewpoints. Gautama Buddha considered happiness as the ultimate freedom from suffering. As per Vedanta philosophy, both happiness and misery are chains that bind us and make us forget about our true nature. Let us review happiness through a realistic approach and identify the practical ways by which we can find real happiness within us.  

Happiness v/s Pleasure

Happiness is considered as a state of well-being and contentment; an emotional or mental state filled with pleasant experience. People often mistake happiness as pleasure. But happiness and pleasure are different. Pleasure comes through senses; but happiness is independent of senses. Eating delicious food when you feel very hungry, having refreshing cold drinks relaxing in an air-conditioned room in a hot summer day, smoking a cigarette when you badly need it, and watching a good movie along with your friends, etc., will give you a good feeling, which is called pleasure. You enjoy each moment with your senses, feeling physical or mental gratification, which are all momentary pleasures that vary with the situations.

Happiness is an experience of contentment within your soul. You feel completely relaxed because you have accomplished a great thing in life; you have solved a difficult problem. An ambition has fulfilled and a great moment in life has arrived. You enjoy a world of freedom. There is no more fear, no more tension, no more anxiety or no more worry within you. All darkness has disappeared and your whole being is filled with light. Your ego has vanished, you feel weightless, you feel inner peace, and you experience happiness; an indefinable state of total contentment. Words are insufficient to define it. True happiness cannot be defined; it can only be experienced!  

An Unanswered Question

Happiness is temporary. Permanent happiness is an impossible concept. We are living in a world of contradictions. We cannot do good only. It is an absurd concept. We cannot move a step ahead or take a single breath without killing thousands of minute beings around us. They are so small that we are not aware about it. But, life is life, irrespective of whether it is a very low being.  We have an excuse that we are unaware about it. But, for the sake of our pleasure, we kill animals and decorate our dining table. What right we have to get rid of another life, whether it is a very low being or an animal? We console ourselves that it is necessary for our pleasure. But, why? For our pleasure why should we create pain to others?  Why should happiness come through misery? It happens so, but the reason is unknown. It is an unanswered question. It is an undeniable law of nature. That is all we know.

How can We Find Happiness within Us?

Money, material and status in society are not sufficient to bring happiness. Our desires never end. Even though we have all possessions and are the richest in the world, we are not satisfied, and still yearn for more. This dissatisfaction is the fundamental nature of human mind. Mind always seeks pleasure from materials. But you cannot find happiness in materials; it should come from within. You have to find inner peace. Instead of focusing on external things, you have to concentrate within yourself to bring about a complete transformation. Here are 10 steps you can follow that will help you to find happiness within you.

1.  Keep a Smile and be Cheerful

Whatever you do and wherever you are, always keep a pleasant smile. A simple smile can do wonders.  It will make you free from all negative thoughts and stress. When you cultivate the habit of smiling, you will become cheerful every moment. You will start to look at the world in a different way. You will realize happiness within and your life will reflect the radiance and light. Your life will become a celebration.

2.  Live the Present Moment

The past is dead. Relieve your thoughts from the dead past. Bury its dead with all its memories and unpleasant events. The future has not yet come…… Sorry, can’t you hear a little voice? You have mistaken it as your heartbeats. Listen carefully. It is the footsteps of future. Future comes gently and knocks at the door of your subconscious. Open the door, embrace the future and instantly transform it into present. Only the present moment is true. Nothing exists other than the present moment. There is no past or future. Enjoy the calmness and sanctity of the present moment. Fully immerse in it. Live it; never leave it.

3.  Accept Life As it is

Understand your limitations. Human being is just an infinitesimal being of this infinite universe. But he thinks that he is on the top of the world and he can toss the myriads of rotating planets with his hands like a child’s play.  He stupidly believes that he can make the stars dancing in the sky with the flick of his finger. He hopes he can create a world of his own………. No, you cannot. You have wild dreams. You cannot even create or destroy a single atom of mass in this universe. The sum total of energies in the universe, including happiness and misery, always remains a constant. Nothing is added or nothing is taken away. They change their time, space and circumstances. You push the ball to different courts; but the game is the same. You have to accept your limitations and the realities of life as it is. Then you will not become frustrated; you will not become anxious; but, you will remain happy.  

4.  Remove Negative Thoughts

Always think positively. Your negative thoughts will make your life miserable. Understand that you are what you think. Over time your thoughts will become your beliefs, and your subconscious mind will act based on your thoughts and beliefs, and will make them into reality. Positive thoughts bring you happiness and negative thoughts misery. So take sufficient time and watch your mind persistently.  Remove the weeds of negative thoughts from your mind, one at a time, and replace them with positive thoughts. Remember you have only one life, and that is this life. Do not destroy it with negativity. Enjoy happiness within in its true spirit.  

5.  Love Others; Help Others

You are living in a society and your world is not limited to yours only. Your relatives, friends, neighbors, and even strangers; you need to care about everyone. Love every one and do any act of kindness to them. When you help others, you will experience inner peace and happiness filling in your soul. Forget about religion, forget about caste, forget the language and forget the colour; just remember that all are humans. The blood running through the nerves of Hindus and Muslims is red in colour. Where do you find the distinction? Blood has no religion; God has no religion; why do you need a religion? Love all; friends and foes alike. Happiness is born out of love; and it comes from within.

6.  Forgive Others Rather than Criticizing

It is a bad habit to criticize others. Everyone in this world has his own beliefs, his own thoughts and his own way of living. But by mistake you think that you are the only person who is thinking right. We should have self-respect and at the same time we should respect others too. Mistakes can happen to anybody. But you should learn to forgive. If you can forgive others, you can relieve all your tensions. Your heart will expand to the outer limits of the universe and you will enjoy the glory of happiness.

7.  Knowledge is Happiness

Knowledge increases your inner peace and happiness. Knowledge is a never-ending process that makes you confident every moment. The more knowledge you gain, the more you will become aware of your ignorance. Knowledge makes you pure and kills your ego. Happiness is not for the ignorant; but for the wise. Animals find happiness in their senses; ordinary man finds happiness is in his thoughts; and a wise man who has knowledge finds happiness in his Self. Knowledge is the highest form of happiness.

8.  Love Nature

We are fortunate enough to have blessed with a wonderful nature to be lived in. We come here as guests and become hosts. We are infants of Mother Nature, swaddled with love and affection, sitting in its lap and enjoying the lullabies, in a half-sleeping mood. Instead of always concealing within the concrete blocks, we should come out to enjoy the chilling beauty of nature. Once in a while, come close to the nature, and become a part of it. Enjoy the calmness, enjoy the whistling wind blowing through the branches of trees, enjoy the songs of birds without words; and enjoy happiness and peace filling in your whole being.  

9.  Change your Life Style

Your life style plays an important role in creating inner peace and happiness. You should be healthy, physically and mentally. Happiness is for the healthy; not for the sick. Follow a healthy food habit; avoid the habit of smoking, drinking and other drugs; do physical exercises or sports activities; and maintain a healthy body with the help of effective time management. Cultivate the mind with positive thoughts, and make it free from tensions, worries and all negative thoughts. With a healthy body and healthy mind and with regular practice of meditation you will enjoy happiness from within.

10.  Meditate

Meditation for half an hour daily will change your entire life. By meditation you can find inner peace and happiness. It will help you to realize your real nature. It will make you the master of your mind; till now you are its slave. Meditation will rejuvenate you, and give you fresh feeling and confidence to handle life as it comes, with no tension or anxiety. When you meditate, all thoughts in your mind will vanish gradually and you will feel emptiness. There will be no thought, no mind, no body; what exists is your reality. You will become one with your reality. It is better to practice meditation under the guidance of a professional.  

Conclusion

We are living in an ever changing world. Nothing remains static, but everything changes at each moment. Change is the law of nature. Happiness and pleasure are all momentary. After happiness, misery follows. They are the two sides of the same coin. They are the rising and falling of the same wave in the ocean of life. One should follow the other. We experience happiness under some definite situations. When the situations change, and the changes are not favorable to us, we experience unhappiness. From the moment we were born, we started our rush towards happiness. As long as we have desire, as long as we are selfish, the mad rush will continue.