There seems to be an ever-emerging sanctity surrounding the ‘Pursuit of Happiness‘ whatever that may mean. You’ll hear sayings from seemingly happy people about how “Life is a Joke and you should just do what makes you happy”.
But more often than not, it’s not that these people are actually happy, but rather making excuses and justifying why it is okay to be like them. Because they’ve for the most part taken the easy path in life…
The path of least resistance and least responsibility. The path most often taken. And ultimately the path of least reward. And sadly but seriously these people would have you take the exact same path for no other reason. Than to avoid the bitterness that comes with seeing you succeed in something they never even had the courage to endeavour and attempt.
These People’s advice should be avoided at all cost. For the cost is YOUR LIFE. That’s right, I’m not being dramatic, It will cost you your life. If you let it.
If life was truly about being happy, and feeling happy, than I believe the crackheads and party animals would have it all figured out… But they don’t really seem to do they? I mean I wouldn’t know but I’ve heard crack makes you pretty happy? And what quite blows off the steam-of-the-week like a nice weekend party with your friends?
My point is; what if there is no more steam to blow off come the end of the week because you’ve been blowing off steam everyday? Is it better to live your life between the highs? Or lay steady amongst the lows?
We know from almost every prison story ever told that only when we are stripped of what we think makes us who we are, do we truly find our inner selves. Ridden and bereft of material possessions, we find what makes our spirits happy. This is the philosophy of The Buddha. Deeply expressed when he said: “I teach only two things, O disciples, the nature of suffering and the cessation of suffering.“
The Buddha taught the famous “Four Noble Truths” and “Eightfold Path,” which allows people to achieve enlightenment. Enlightenment meaning a sort of Spiritual Awakening, or Hero’s Journey, upon which when one has to decided to embark on, will they find themselves not void of any hardships or calamities, but almost immune in a way to their very affect on a person. This is The Way of The Buddha, a practice, not an end. A teaching, not a trend. A Way of Life, to live over and again.
"My teaching is not a philosophy. It is the result of direct experience... My teaching is a means of practice, not something to hold onto or worship. My teaching is like a raft used to cross the river. Only a fool would carry the raft around after he had already reached the other shore of liberation."
His ‘Four Nobles Truths’ were as follows.
#1. Dukkha – Life is unsatisfactory, disjointed, suffering.
#2. Samudaya – There is a cause of suffering, which is attachment or desire (tanha).
#3. Nirodha – There is a cessation of suffering, which is to eliminate attachment and desire.
#4. Marga – The path that leads out of suffering is called the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Buddha taught that in order to realize enlightenment, man must free himself from his ego, and give up all desires. He taught that by having so many desires (such as wanting pleasure, wealth, happiness, security, success, long life, etc.), man subjects himself to suffering, and will never escape the cycle of rebirths.
Therefore Buddhism believes that suffering is self-created. And only from and within self can we find liberation.
My Sales coach once said something along the lines of “Money doesn’t love you because you don’t love money”. And this was far deeper than it sounded on the surface. I couldn’t quite grasp it at the time. But I wrote it down (as did I everything he said, everyday before starting each work day). And started playing with the phrase in my head a little to try and understand its meaning.
If it had meant nothing my mind would’ve disregarding it in the first place. I later found out (in my own time) what he meant by saying “You don’t love money,” was that if you truly loved money you would let her go. (Yes he was personifying money as a woman the poetic sales-coach). And if you truly love a woman, or anyone for that matter, you don’t chase them to the point of losing yourself, (what is called being a ‘SIMP’ in todays media pop-culture) you work on becoming the best person you can to attract that person to you, instead trying to take the easy path and getting resentful when the person you like (in this case money) rejects you, which they will because you thought by simply desiring them (money) you deserved them (money).
Money flows to those whom putting service first, forget about her even existing. Now I’m not saying you should forget about your partners existence! Far from that… I am saying that when you make them dinner, do it because you want to, not because they want you too. And do not expect anything in return!
When you next serve someone at your job, no matter your industry or position. Do it because you like helping people, because you admire and take pride in your work. Learn to love the work, and work will love you, and money will love you.
Cheers,
Mackenzie Andres
THE BLOCK BARD
Founder | Head of Copy
www.theblockbard.com
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