Happy New Year!
Actually, thinking about it, does it have to be happy?
Why does humankind assume that being happy is the only state you must attain in life and especially at the start of a year.
Yin and Yang
Before we go any further, here is a great little video to get you up to speed on Yin and Yang:
Everywhere you look you will find the Yin and Yang in life (and death of course, well done).
The New Year is no exception. Happiness is no exception.
There is always an opposing side to something.
Some Yins and Yangs are easier to spot, others not so easy.
Where am I going with all of this?
Hmm - I know most of you didn't take a break but at least I tried - haha...
Where I am going with all of this is ... I want to take the pressure off you at the start of this New Year.
The pressure to always be happy.
As I am sure you know, if you never feel sad you would never feel happy. This is the Yin and Yang of happiness.
When you truly fathom this ancient wisdom you set your thoughts free from constantly chasing an impossible state of being happy all of the time.
How many YouTube ads are trying to sell you the non stop easy life. How many social media channels do the same.
The start of the New Year can easily seem all about getting that "Happiness" message out there as much as possible. Gyms offer discounts and say you will be happy once you change your body to look like Superman and or Wonder Woman - or both!? Amazon Ad Entrepreneurs show you how they left their boring job to live by a pool on a tropical island and now they are so happy.
It is all a commercial lie.
Everyone must experience unhappiness at some stage or discomfort. That in itself is a good thing!
Learn to embrace the times when you are not what you might call happy.
Perhaps it is a Monday morning at work when you wish you were lying in bed Saturday morning with nothing to do. Or maybe you are about to face a fear and wish you were safely back at home.
Whatever it is that is making you want to escape the moment. Learn to tell your gremlin thoughts to SHUT UP!
I know. I know. Those two words aren't very Zen are they - but they work! You need to snap yourself out of being in a manipulated impossible state of searching for happiness.
Be angry if you find your mind dragging you into a swirl of thoughts that are telling you that you are a failure for not being happy all the time. Don't let jealousy of someone else being in a situation you would like to be in drag you down.
So, to bring this post to a close. I genuinely want to wish you a very Un-Happy start to this New Year. One in which you know that by feeling that way, you are always in touch with happiness which is part of that feeling and moments of happiness will come around again. They are one and the same and you can enjoy both.
Take care of yourself. Positive thoughts are flying from me to you, this moment is exactly where you need to be.
Author: Christian Jacques Bennett
Socially Discuss
Photo by Andre Furtado from Pexels
Everywhere you look you will find the Yin and Yang in life (and death of course, well done).
The New Year is no exception. Happiness is no exception.
There is always an opposing side to something.
Some Yins and Yangs are easier to spot, others not so easy.
Where am I going with all of this?
Okay... Woah! First of all... deep breath. There is no hurry. I urge you to literally stop reading this post right now and just look around at your surroundings. Take a deep breath and take things in. Be present in your moment and find something to be grateful for being in it.
Hmm - I know most of you didn't take a break but at least I tried - haha...
Where I am going with all of this is ... I want to take the pressure off you at the start of this New Year.
The pressure to always be happy.
As I am sure you know, if you never feel sad you would never feel happy. This is the Yin and Yang of happiness.
When you truly fathom this ancient wisdom you set your thoughts free from constantly chasing an impossible state of being happy all of the time.
How many YouTube ads are trying to sell you the non stop easy life. How many social media channels do the same.
The start of the New Year can easily seem all about getting that "Happiness" message out there as much as possible. Gyms offer discounts and say you will be happy once you change your body to look like Superman and or Wonder Woman - or both!? Amazon Ad Entrepreneurs show you how they left their boring job to live by a pool on a tropical island and now they are so happy.
It is all a commercial lie.
Everyone must experience unhappiness at some stage or discomfort. That in itself is a good thing!
Learn to embrace the times when you are not what you might call happy.
Perhaps it is a Monday morning at work when you wish you were lying in bed Saturday morning with nothing to do. Or maybe you are about to face a fear and wish you were safely back at home.
Whatever it is that is making you want to escape the moment. Learn to tell your gremlin thoughts to SHUT UP!
I know. I know. Those two words aren't very Zen are they - but they work! You need to snap yourself out of being in a manipulated impossible state of searching for happiness.
Be angry if you find your mind dragging you into a swirl of thoughts that are telling you that you are a failure for not being happy all the time. Don't let jealousy of someone else being in a situation you would like to be in drag you down.
So, to bring this post to a close. I genuinely want to wish you a very Un-Happy start to this New Year. One in which you know that by feeling that way, you are always in touch with happiness which is part of that feeling and moments of happiness will come around again. They are one and the same and you can enjoy both.
Take care of yourself. Positive thoughts are flying from me to you, this moment is exactly where you need to be.
Author: Christian Jacques Bennett
Socially Discuss
Photo by Andre Furtado from Pexels
