by: Altaf Hussain Rather
Personality development experts emphasize the point that a person should be happy as much as possible. Happy people try to make others feel happy and thus pave the way for positive changes in their lives. Here the question arises in the mind, is it possible for every human being to be happy? And is it so simple that merely telling a person, to be happy and he will? Everything that is written and said about happiness is in the context of some reality.
Personality development experts advise adopting positive thinking in any case according to the nature of the situation. Their main emphasis is on the point that a person should face all matters realistically and choose a path for himself, that does not feel an unnecessary or unjustified burden on his heart and mind. Once again, it has to be said that what the experts say, however good it may sound, is not easy to practice. Any expert opinion is only advice. One
who follows that advice knows its complications. No expert opinion can be followed blindly. We all live within the confines of our circumstances. A lot of us wish to do many things in life but we are not always able to do that. The same is true of being happy, as we all desire to be the happiest person but the stress of circumstances tries hard to keep us sad and it usually succeeds.
Life is the name of staying calm in the face of the pressure of circumstances. We all face some kind of stress in various matters but still, it is inevitable for us to be happy or try to be happy. The extent to which one can be happy depends on how he views his circumstances and how well he prepares to deal with them.Intellectual structure plays a key role in this regard. The fact cannot be denied that the ability to fight and adapt to situations is different in every human being. Some people have such a level of low temperament that they give up even under the slightest pressure of the situation. On the other hand, many people don’t feel too bad about living life while fighting the situation. It should be noted that those who have endured the pressure of adversity for a long time are slow to give up. Compared to them, those people who are living comfortably and suddenly face a great calamity lose heart more quickly and distance themselves from continuing to face difficulties. By continuing to face difficulties, the mentality of bearing a lot is established and a person can easily bear a big major setbacks.
You will find many people around you, who try to be happy in one way or another and are generally successful in this effort. Being happy is a decision and it takes willpower to follow that decision. He who decides that he has to bear the oppression of circumstances only to a certain extent, takes away the space to be happy. Yes, it is not easy. It needs a lot of thinking and planning.
Happy people are found in more significant numbers in developed societies. One of the main reasons for this is that all their basic problems have been solved. Where there is economic stability, there is balance and stability in social affairs as well. When the state assumes responsibility for most of the basic issues, confusion begins to fade. Any common man all over the world feels sad when his basic needs are not being met properly. In developed societies, it
is natural for a common man to be in a very balanced state of mind. This type of state is good for a man and thus this condition plays a key role in keeping a person happy.
In Europe, people are happier in the Scandinavian welfare states because the state has taken more or less charge of everything there. People become carefree after paying taxes. They get everything from the state, that is necessary to lead a quality life. It is not difficult for a common man in these developed societies to be happy because the governments there give so much that there is no room for people to worry. For the common man in these societies, life is not just a continuation of breathing but a constant test. It matters for a common man in backward societies to be happy. No matter how hard one tries, the pressure of the situation continues to take its toll. This is also natural. The fun of living in such a situation is when a person decides that instead of looking away from the situation, he has to look into his eyes, he has to convince himself.
The real joy of being happy is when a person is facing different kinds of pressures and does not give up. Being happy has been the need of every human being. Upheaval by various circumstances has been happening in every age. Lust for power has been destroying societies. Every human being of all ages desires a life to be as peaceful as possible and there should be room to live happily, but it is not a child’s game to say it and it will be done.
To be happy, one has to struggle not only with others and the situations created by others but with one’s existence. Man is prevented by his existence from moving towards improvement in many respects. What do you think about egoism? For many, their ego alone prevents them from moving towards a quality life. Such people cannot be happy even if they want to and keep creating confusion for others also. Happiness is neither related to wealth nor to power and fame. It is a pure state of mind and has to do with willpower. The more willpower, the happier one will be, in any kind of situation.
You will find many people lamenting the situation even after earning a good amount of wealth. On the contrary, many people remain happy even in the face of extreme adversity, and severe poverty, and are never found to question the circumstances. One does not reach this destination easily. It is the result of years of hard work and determination.
But perhaps most importantly of all, happier people are more likely to make a positive contribution to society. In particular, they are more likely to vote, do voluntary work, and participate in public activities. They also have a greater respect for law and order and offer more help to others.
There is even evidence that happiness is contagious, so happier people help others around them to become happier too. An extensive study in the British Medical Journal followed people over 20 years and found that their happiness affected others in their networks across “three degrees of separation”. In other words, how happy we are has a measurable impact on the mood of our friend’s friend’s friend.
Today’s man has to focus more on being happy because he is facing emotional attacks from all sides. Grievous matters are incalculable and time is very short for today’s man. Even a hundred years ago, time seemed to pass very slowly. But now urban life has intensified the feeling of time passing very quickly. Now it is up to every human being to decide to be happy, who wants to enjoy his/her life.
The writer is a teacher at Govt Middle School, Kawhar Payeen, Zone Fatehgarh. He can be mailed at ratheraltaf184@gmail.com
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