Four definitions for how to create and sustain true happiness lead to one fundamental choice.
You in?
Tal Ben-Shahar, creator of the most popular course in Harvard’s history, teaches that happiness resides at the intersection of purpose and pleasure.
He encourages us to choose a path of meaning and enjoy the journey along the way.
Daisaku Ikeda, a Japanese Buddhist philosopher, believes that we experience both relative and absolute happiness, but only absolute happiness is transcendent.
He explains that relative happiness depends on how much we allow our circumstances to dictate our joy. However, absolute happiness comes from loving life itself — being alive is the joy. And… the best way to attain this absolute joy is through personal inner peace.
Michael Singer, 2x NY Times bestselling author, meditation center founder and software programmer, suggests that the way to inner peace is to take a vow of “unconditional happiness.”
By surrendering our preferences and delighting in the unfolding, we let go and experience joy in the here and now, just as it is, without resistance.
As Marianne Williamson so beautifully points out, “Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.”
Irrespective of circumstances, we experience life and our level of happiness with it by every choice we make to be fully present, grateful, and accepting of the here and now.
To your version of pleasure and purpose, and choosing happiness in each moment.
Hugs,
AmyK
