Being Happy
It seems that our suffering is directly proportional to our resistance of what is. If we’re resisting our current circumstances, then we are going to experience some unhappiness. So if we’re feeling unhappy, it could be that we’re in resistance. When we resist something that’s happening, or we don’t like what’s going on, we’ve usually made up a story about why it’s not benefiting us or that we can’t grow from the situation of ‘what is.’
What if we did embrace what is? What if we said yes to the present moment. “Yes, this is what’s going on.” Instead of pretending it’s not going on, or instead of wishing something else was happening, or instead of judging the present moment, what if we just said yes to the present moment? What if we embraced the “is-ness” of what’s going on there?
Another habit that can get in the way of happiness are stories we create about why we don’t like what’s happening. Or stories about who we are, or why things aren’t going well for us, or other reasons. So what if we gave up your stories? What if we stopped telling ourselves the stories about why this is, or why this isn’t, and just embraced the present moment. Saying yes to what is, giving up those stories, and accepting the present at face value can help us be happier.
Another practice for increasing the likelihood of happiness is to catch the voice in your head. Can you notice when there’s that internal dialogue going on in your mind? If you can catch that voice in your head, you realize that you are not the voice in your head. You can observe it with an air of non-attachment.
The ego in your mind is not you, the ego is a part of you. If you can notice that, then the ego doesn’t become the whole you. you’re able to just differentiate yourself from your ego. The ego serves a purpose; helps us survive, keeps us out of trouble, makes sure we get fed, makes sure of your safety. But if you can start to notice the the ego, and identify less with the stories the ego tells; we can start to see reality without the confusion from the ego.