Everyone is looking for happiness. You, me, your neighbour and everyone you know. Our whole life is a quest for happiness. In fact, everyone talks about it. There are books on the subject, conferences, courses, songs, religions, healing weekends, therapies and so on. All those who have found it try to convince us that their way is the best way and that we should do what they do. The reality is that there are no better ways to get there and that all recipes are good. The important thing is that it works. So I’m putting my two cents in.
In my opinion, happiness is in the project, or in THE projects. Whether they are small or large, your projects will inject you with a dose, more or less, of happiness. The miraculous thing about projects is that they direct our thoughts towards achieving something.
That’s the way humans are. When we’re in a routine, with nothing new, no challenge, nothing at all, we tend to get bored and find that “life is flat”. Ask those who’ve had projects all their working life and are now retiring, and they end up feeling a great emptiness. Some get depressed, while others quickly find new projects to keep them busy and “happy”.
It’s not just at retirement that this risk of trouble arises. It can be after a period of intense work or at the end of a life stage. Olympic or professional athletes who retire from sport feel this emptiness. Parents, when their children leave home, feel it too, and so on.
Back to the idea of projects. In my personal, professional and even couple life, it’s when I’ve had projects that I’ve felt my greatest happiness. I’ve even discovered (and this is the advantage of getting older) that it’s during the project realization period, much more than when it’s completed, that happiness is at its peak. As La Sagouine used to say: It’s not having it that’s pleasurable. It’s KNOWING you’re going to get it that is.
For example, if you’re renovating a room in your home, you’ll find that it’s during the process of working out your renovation that you’ll feel that inner passion. Oh, there will be a feeling of satisfaction when your room is renovated, but it will fade quickly. It’s as if your brain is saying, “Well, it’s done! Let’s move on!
Going through a rough patch? Illness? Worry? Job loss? You think it’s hard to plan projects when you’re going through a difficult period? You’re right, it’s harder. But difficult doesn’t mean impossible. You have to put yourself in “later” mode. Later, when this period is over-because it’s going to be over sooner or later-what’s going to happen later? That’s why you have to think now about what you hope for later! That’s your real challenge.
Summer is here. Do you have any vacation plans? Resting? Renovations? I don’t know! What turns you on? What do you want to do? Take piano lessons? Read a new novel? All projects are good. They’re there to bring you happiness.
And what about this autumn? What are your plans?
Best regards,
Guy
