This was a series I had some time ago, but I have realized some more things that I wanted to share.
We can be happy by doing ____ (fill in the blank). The truth is that when we do those things we aren’t happy. Sure we may be satisfied for the moment, but it isn’t happiness. Happiness doesn’t come through action, it comes through being. We see people who are addicted to things and they think by doing what temporarily gives them pleasure, that they will be happy. It just doesn’t work that way. No amount of pleasure will give happiness, and people who seek pleasure all the time are less happy than others.- Other people need to understand us. No, other people don’t need to understand us. If people want to understand us, that is nice, but ultimately being understood is something that has to happen inside. Too many times people look for external validation of worth when they have proved by their actions their capacity to handle life. Smart people often question themselves, while dumb people think they are smarter than they are. Rarely can others understand us who are not trained therapists, but sometimes we get lucky in life to find a friend who wants to know us better.
- We see life clearly. We think that we see the reality of life, but we don’t. We can only see through the limits of our own experience and wisdom. I often notice how blind others are to the feelings of others in social situations. They don’t have emotional intelligence, and therefore they can’t see the reality of what is happening. I feel sorry for people who don’t have the sensitivity to appreciate the feelings of others. They also tend to miss the enjoyment of cultural and artistic works, and that is a huge loss as well.