Sigh. I just deleted from my mailbox YET ANOTHER newsletter that promised insights or wisdom about Happiness, yet turned out to be hawking STUFF. I sometimes feel frustrated that so many marketers — on TV, in print, and on the Internet — hijack the concept of happiness. Because that’s been happening so much, we’ve gotten to point as a society where we no longer value happiness for… itself. Seems it always has to be attached to something — an outcome, a promotion, a product, or a ‘system.’
The other night I counted commercials across two hours of television, and nearly a third of them directly referenced happiness or being happy (products ranged from Wal-mart & cars to flowers & erectile dysfunction meds). Even some of the teachers I’ve followed and learned from over the years seem to be abandoning the pursuit of happiness as noble, and are replacing that with a sales pitch.
Am I just naive? Is it silly of me to believe that Happiness has value in and of itself? Am I fooling myself into believing that people find value in learning how to live a happier life if that “happier life” can’t be quantified with dollars or the accumulation of product? Should I give up my quest to provide people tools and practices for experiencing more happiness for it’s own sake?
No. Because you know what? On the other side of the marketing street stand many people who are strong enough to resist the message, and who have the wisdom to say, “I know more STUFF won’t make me happy.” Those are the people to whom I speak.
And I hope that all of you who ‘get’ this message realize how important it is that you value Happiness for its own sake. As long as SOME of us hold steadfastly to the belief that we can control our own happiness, there is hope for the world.
So, how about if we all take a deep breath together? Pull your shoulders back and open up your heart, breathe into your deep belly, and say, “I am enough, for now. I have enough. I am content.”
Give yourself permission to be happy, for a moment, with just what you have. And notice how rich you feel!
