“Happiness is a choice.” an affirmation I often heard in our society. Never gave it much serious thought and assumed it held some value, given that many elders, friends, and personalities advocated for it.
Not long ago, my mother was contemplating that happiness is a choice and asked for my views on it, as we were discussing something related to happiness. I could not give a straightforward answer, which prompted me to reflect more deeply on this age-old platitude to determine whether it truly holds any truth or value.
Before we delve further, let me reflect on something more relevant, Our Choices! Does one genuinely have a choice in life when it comes to happiness? Does anyone ever consciously choose something other than happiness for themselves? Ideally, in any given situation, with whatever intelligence anyone possess, he shall always choose what seems best for him. From selecting an ice-cream flavour to choosing a partner, friends or ways to earn money, most of choices revolve around own happiness and interests, even if someone feels their decision was influenced by society or parents. As a wise man once said, “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”
If happiness is a choice and one is always choosing happiness, then why aren’t people consistently happy or at least to a larger degree? Ideally vast majority should be if that is that’s the choice they have made. But we all know this is not the reality. Reflect honestly on your own lives please.
A man’s internal world, from dawn to dusk is shaped by the quality of his thoughts, which largely influences his daily living. Conflicting thoughts of sadness and sorrow often seem to outnumber those of happiness and joy. Regrets about the past and rehearsals of future events fill ones minds with anxiety. This is how most live each day.
My friend reality is, human beings always act from the centre of self. Acting any other way is beyond their conscious control. In true essence, one is inherently inclined to choose happiness in any given moment. To believe otherwise shall only invite more chaos and misery.
A more relevant question that may offer insight into the “Big Maze of happiness” is not “Is happiness a choice?” but rather “Why one always chooses and chasing happiness?” The answer lies in the core message of Gautama Buddha teachings – “Life is, at its core is fundamentally a form of suffering”. Conditioned Mind in its restless nature, is always seeking an escape from this suffering, constantly longing for the opposite — that is happiness!
Money and position take away some pain which comes from social injustice in one’s daily life and provide comfort of a home. However, problems of mind spares no one, irrespective of their financial and social achievements. If someone claims to live a life without problems, they are either living an unexamined life, have found ways to supress them or is simply managing them.
One can arrive at something more tangible and insightful, if he spends sometime to explore the actual source of his problems and conflicts, rather than engaging in a blind, endless pursuit for happiness that lacks the steam to lead him anywhere.
