How to Achieve Happiness 2.0

How to Achieve True Happiness

By: Nathan Nielson

How do I achieve happiness? This question has plagued the mind of almost every human being who has ever lived on the face of this planet. In fact, even great philosophers, such as Socrates and Plutarch, have spent large amounts of time trying to solve this great dilemma. After a study of their work and the work of many others, I have realized that developing happiness in our lives is like growing a plant in the garden. When growing a plant, such as a rose, you must first plant the seed. Then you must nourish this seed by giving it sufficient amounts of water and sunshine. This basic process of growing a plant can also be applied to man’s continuous pursuit of happiness.

First, you must plant the seed. The seed of happiness is developing a deep love and respect for yourself. This doesn’t mean that being selfish and self-absorbed brings happiness; in fact, the exact opposite is achieved when one loves himself. When you love and respect yourself, you are more fully able to serve and help others because you spend less time worrying about you, and more time serving others. As you spend more time serving others you begin to discover more of who you really are. This principle is wonderfully worded in Mark 8:34-35, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” This scripture says to lose your life for the gospel, and a big part of the gospel is serving others; therefore, losing yourself in the service of others saves your life, literally.  But, how do you love yourself? One of the best ways to develop a deep love for yourself is to simply be grateful for all the things that make you, you. I used to be jealous of my friends and covet their personalities. They all looked so happy and seemed to be sought after by others. When I had this mindset I was not happy and because I felt I could never reach the high social status they had. Then it hit me, to be happy I have to love me and be me. If somebody didn’t like me that was their problem. Because I changed my perspective I began to realize and constantly think about why I am such a great person, not why others are better than me. By doing this I eliminated jealousy and envy, which left more time for me to be happy.

Second, you must water the seed. To water the seed of happiness you must be continuously grateful. When I am sad, disappointed, or grumpy I have a hard time getting into a good mood again. But, I have found that thinking about all the good things that surround me and how I am so blessed to use these things really helps me switch my attitude very quickly. When my heart is filled with gratitude, I literally cannot have a negative attitude. Being grateful brings happiness because it causes you to look at and think about all the good in life, and when you’re busy looking at the good, you don’t think about all the bad. In fact, I have noticed that when I am positive and optimistic, negative thoughts mainly come from outside sources; such as friends, news reporters, and sports commentators. To stay happy when these negative thoughts come, one must find the good or ignore the bad. Basically, making the best of your current situation is key to experiencing true happiness, and being grateful is a great way to make the best of your current situation.

Third, you must nourish your plant with sunlight. When one continuously strives to improve themselves, they are putting their happiness plant in a position where it will continuously receive sunlight. Many people believe that happiness is having no responsibility or care in the world, but if one reaches this state they quickly begin to lose their purpose in life. Not that they do not have a purpose anymore, but rather that they have no purpose in what they are doing. This principle is demonstrated in Plutarch’s words, “a state of bodily stupor is a bad remedy for insanity; but no whit better as a physician of the soul is he who would relieve it of its disturbances and distress by prescribing idleness and softness and the betrayal of friends and family and country.” It clearly displays that one can easily lose purposes in life, such as friendships, family and your country. There is no goal, no achievements, no success. Why then, would the lack of responsibility bring happiness? Simply put, it wouldn’t bring happiness. So, if a person is continually striving to improve themselves they become happier because they have a purpose in life. This purpose in life allows them to fail and fall short, but also gives them the opportunity to succeed and achieve. Then, because this person has reached their goals and achieved something in life, they feel good about themselves and find something else to love about themselves. This, in turn, increases their happiness.

In the end, happiness really boils down to loving yourself, having a spirit of gratitude, and always striving to improve yourself. These three keys all have a common characteristic, they all need to be practiced daily and continually. Happiness isn’t just a temporary burst of excitement, but rather a lifestyle and way of life. So, my challenge to each of you is to try these happiness principles in your life and discover true happiness.