Here’s Why You’re Still Not Happy
The Timeless Principle of Joy
This is one in a series of essays that was originally conceived as a book for print publication. If you enjoy it and would like to read more from the collection, you can find a sort of Table of Contents here.
Again, a huge subject for a single chapter, so I’m only going to scratch the surface. But for now, let’s look at it in its barest form:
Joy is a feeling of happiness and satisfaction that goes deeper than momentary enjoyment or pleasure.
That’s not to say that momentary enjoyment or pleasure should be overlooked or disregarded in any way. On the contrary, a life of joy is made up in part by the weaving together of thousands of those little moments. But it goes beyond that.
To truly have joy in your life, you need to be able to look beyond yourself and your own life to something bigger, and use that something as a mirror to look back on you and your life with some perspective. If you can do that, I mean really look and really see what you’re all about, and you can still be happy, then you’re experiencing true joy.
Many people use religion or God, along with the spiritual writings of their choice, as this celestial mirror. Many more use their relationships with loved ones and their own judgment of their…
