Abraham
Lincoln remarked that “most people are about as happy as they make up their
minds to be.” Honest Abe was on target
with that observation of the human experience.
In a simple sentence he captures the link between emotions and
thinking. That’s a connection many folks
have difficulty making even today. The
attention (thinking) precedes the feeling (emotion.) It is the process of relating to people, conditions,
and circumstances. Relating = giving
attention.
If what
you observe is pleasing, you feel good.
If it is not pleasing you feel bad.
The emotion indicates the manner you interpret the world around
you. The operative word is interpret. Greek Stoic Philosopher Epictetus noted over
two thousand years ago that “men are not disturbed by things, but by the view
which they take of them.” Even more
insightful was his observation that “Suffering arises from trying to control
what is uncontrollable.” How often have
we heard this through the ages? The
bottom line appears to be that it is your thinking that establishes how you
interpret observations and how you feel about them.
The
question is what degree of happiness (comfort, good feeling) have you made up
your mind to experience? A wonderful
exercise is to decide to appreciate something in every moment. It doesn’t matter where you are or what you
are doing, there is something you can appreciate and thus shift your thinking
and interpretation towards better feelings.
Some appreciation can be basic:
“I love having hot water available to me when I want it.” “I like having a crew haul away my trash and
garbage each week.” I appreciate the
choice in foods that I eat.” The more
you find to appreciate, the easier it becomes – and the more you enjoy the
process – which results in a more enjoyable day and (Lagniappe Alert!) a better
night’s sleep.
Others
may grouse and complain – that’s their choice of thought. You can’t control
what they think and do anymore than they control your thoughts and
decisions. However, they might get
curious about your confounding cheerfulness...
Abe got it right.
There is a philosophy to being a happier Being:
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