By Sharon Andrew, Happiness Evangelist at Happiest Minds Technologies, Bangalore
What do we really need right now, to be happy?
A new car, a new house, a new friend…
What do we lack right now?
Does anything need to change in order for us to be happy?
What do we really need? Do we really need anything in order to be happy?
Powerful Questions. Food for thought.
Sharon Salzberg, the author of the book “The Kindness Handbook” (http://www.flipkart.com/kindness-handbook-practical-companion/p/itmdyjz4nhmhhgcq?pid=9781591796558&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=The+kindness+handbook&ref=fed7a838-4f9a-4347-ad86-ce392709fb79) shares her experience while staying at a monastery in South East Asia. At the monastery, there was generally no charge for staying and the food was donated by “groups or families who come to the center to make the offerings”. Therefore, the food that was provided was varied depending on the circumstances of those donating. Sometimes, bountiful. Sometimes, meager.
Sharon recounts: “Time after time, I went into the dining room for a meal and looked at the faces of the people who had made the offering, since they commonly come to watch you receive it. They would look radiant, so happy that they’d had an opportunity to feed us, to offer something that would help sustain us. They seemed so happy that we were going to be meditating, exploring the truth, and purifying our minds and hearts on the strength of their offering. In that moment, when they were so genuinely grateful for the chance to give, I would ask myself, ‘What do I really need right now in order to be happy?” I realized that I was getting fed a lot more by their joy and delight than I was by the actual food”.
As we journey through our manifold experiences in life, we yearn for happiness and spend time and energy looking for it. I have come to believe that performing acts of kindnesses is what brings me true, genuine and abiding happiness.
I asked some of our colleagues about what truly makes them happy. This is what they had to say:
… spending time with my family especially with my daughter makes me feel happy; when I work hard and do things differently, a bit of appreciation makes me feel happy.
… being truthful and down to earth even in a critical situation & living a simple life makes me happy.
… I feel happy when I can help my fellow people… and see them happy.
… talking to Dad makes me happy – his composed and relaxed voice reflecting patience & satisfaction with his accomplishments gives me energy and motivation to keep trying until I succeed.
What makes you happy? What do you need to be happy?
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