We all seek happiness. We work hard, we strive for success and we want to overcome sadness. But how do we pursue this elusive emotion without veering too far away from it? After all, happiness and sadness are two sides of the same coin. The same neurotransmitter, dopamine, can create both the pleasure of joy and the anguish of sorrow. How then do we balance our feelings towards both?
It can be tempting to escape the pains of sadness by running away from it. We try to drown our sorrows with food, alcohol or even distractions like video games and television. But as we soon discover, these temporary measures are unable to give us lasting relief and either create an endless cycle of sorrow or leave us feeling even worse.
Brooding on sadness is just as detrimental. We can latch on to our grief and depression, believing they are the truth. We become entrenched in our own self-pity, wallowing in the negative thoughts and the pessimism that accompany them.
The better path to find and maintain happiness is to accept that life is a mix of both joy and sorrow. Enjoying moments of happiness does not mean that there will be no more sadness. This understanding helps us face life head on with both eyes open so that we can ride with the waves of life, knowing that both the wonders and the trials that come our way come with life’s package.
We learn to appreciate and even savor the little every day moments that bring us joy. A long soak in a hot bath at the end of a tiring day. Feelings of pride when you solve that tricky problem. The satisfaction of creating something new. Lavinth the warmth when you hug a dear one.
These small joys remind us of the beauty and wonder of life. We start to understand that we do have control over our lives and can decide how we respond to our experiences.
Rather than chasing after fleeting feelings of happiness, or trying to ward off sadness, we realize that happiness is best experienced when we focus our attention on the small things that make up our lives. On the moments that bring us joy, on the relationships we cherish, on the beauty and simplicity of our existence.
Rather than running away from sadness or obsessing over our troubles, accepting life with its both its joys and sorrows will help us find true peace and contentment.
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now