Everything has a price. You have to give up something else in order to achieve anything. Most people want to be happy without incurring any expenses and reaping any rewards.
We desire gains without suffering and rewards without risks. Ironically, it is precisely our unwillingness to make any kind of sacrifice that deepens our misery. Happiness has a price. Finding happiness isn’t always simple or straightforward. Here’s a guide.
You must accept deficiencies and imperfections
Many people think that if they just get a house, a spouse, a car, and kids, everything will be “perfect.” Check off everything on the list, enjoy being old and content for a few decades, and then pass away.
Unfortunately, that’s not how life operates. Problems change and development rather than disappear. The sooner we realize that progress, not perfection, is the point of life, the better we make our life.
The definition of perfection is not up to us. We can only know what is better or worse than what is already true. The standard is typically not even ours! It’s a standard that we obtained from other individuals.
Responsibility for your problems must be assumed by you
It’s simple to blame the outside world for our problems. However, our issues are not exclusive. We are not unique, either. You can only correct your own flaws, not those of other people. Your work, yourself, and your control.
So you might as well get going. Yes, crap does happen. It’s not your fault However; it is your duty to emotionally and physically recover from that loss. So start healing.
Blaming others for your problems may temporarily make you feel better, but in the end, it suggests that you are powerless over your own destiny. And having to live with that assumption is the most depressing of all.
Embrace the fear factor
Fear is not a sign of bravery. Our happiness will rise and fall if we identify with our current emotional states and sensitivities. We seek lasting, enduring happiness. Not a fling with derivatives.
True, enduring happiness is not derived from our current emotional states; it would be impossible and extremely annoying to be constantly ecstatic. Instead, what ultimately determines our long-term happiness are the deeper values we develop for ourselves.
A deeper purpose for your actions must be found
You must decide what motivates you, Is it something purely external and surface-level? Or is there a deeper meaning involved? In contrast to a more superficial motivation, the deeper purpose will keep one motivated through the pressure, fear, and complications that are unavoidable
Being driven by other people’s approval results in needy and ugly behaviour. How does one discover their true calling? Yes, it’s not simple. But on the other hand, robust and long-lasting happiness isn’t easy either.
Finding a higher purpose for our lives is a major theme it has to do with contribution and growth. Finding a way to improve yourself personally is what growth is all about. Finding a way to improve other people is what it means to contribute.
You must be prepared to fail and look foolish
The diversity of life values is what makes humanity so lovely. Living out your values and allowing them to guide your actions and behaviours will inevitably lead to conflicts with people whose values are in opposition to your own.
Failure is a necessary part of any endeavour if you want to advance. By definition, happiness is driven by progress—progress in ourselves, in others, in our values and in the things we care about. Failure is necessary for growth, and growth is necessary for happiness.
Enjoy your pain. Enjoy the scorn. Learning to get back up after being knocked down is one of the most crucial life skills.
Conclusion
If you want to be happy, You must take responsibility for your problems, accept flaws and imperfections, Find a deeper meaning for your actions, embrace the fear factor, and be ready to fail and appear foolish. But above all else, you should lead a conscious life each and every moment.