Will It Bring You Happiness?

June 07, 2019

Photo by Sorin Gheorghita on Unsplash

“Although there are no easy solutions to avoiding…destructive pleasures, fortunately we have a place to begin: the simple reminder that what we are seeking in life is happiness. As the Dalai Lama points out, that is an unmistakable fact. If we approach our choices in life keeping that in mind, it is easier to give up the things that are ultimately harmful to us, even if those things bring us momentary pleasure. The reason why it is usually so difficult to ‘Just say no!' is found in the word ‘no’; that approach is associated with a sense of rejecting something, of giving something up, of denying ourselves.

“But there is a better approach: framing any decision we face by asking ourselves, ‘Will it bring me happiness?’ That simple question can be a powerful tool in helping us skillfully conduct all areas of our lives, not just in the decision whether to indulge in drugs or that third piece of banana cream pie. It puts a new slant on things. Approaching our daily decisions and choices with this question in mind shifts the focus from what we are denying ourselves to what we are seeking—ultimate happiness.”
The Art of Happiness, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Howard C. Cutler, M.D. 

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4 comments

  1. Very wise thoughts Kathy - as the Apostle Paul wrote "Everything is permissible" - but not everything is beneficial." Have a wonderful week. Hugs!

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    1. So very true, Debbie. And what's fine one day, might not be the next.

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  2. It's a complicated subject...I think it takes a lot of daily focus, everyday to achieve this ultimate happy state verses the immediate gratification...Continual progress...it is lovely work.

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    1. Yes, it is lovely work. Staying focused is harder than ever in our modern society, I think.

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