A Look Beyond Happiness

Embrace your emotions

Pratik Asija
Dancing Elephants Press
3 min readFeb 28, 2023

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In a world where happiness is often glorified and pursued at all costs, it can be difficult to accept that being happy all the time is simply not possible. In fact, striving for constant happiness can be detrimental to our mental and emotional wellbeing.

Photo by Brodie from Burst

It is a common misconception that we are meant to be happy all the time, but the reality is that life is full of ups and downs. We experience a range of emotions, both positive and negative, and each serves its own purpose.

Happiness is a fleeting emotion that comes and goes. It is often triggered by external factors such as success, wealth, and love. However, relying on external factors to bring us happiness can be dangerous as these factors are often temporary and can change at any time.

On the other hand, negative emotions such as sadness, anger, and frustration are often seen as unwanted and unpleasant. But these emotions play an important role in our lives. They can help us identify areas of our lives that need attention, motivate us to make changes, and provide us with opportunities for growth and self-reflection. I wrote a short poem here:

Life is not meant to be all happy,

Nor a constant stream of bliss.

There will be times of pain and struggle,

Times we’re pushed to the brink of abyss.

But these hardships are not in vain,

For they help us grow and gain.

They teach us resilience and strength,

And show us the depth of our inner length.

Life is a journey of ups and downs,

A rollercoaster of smiles and frowns.

We must learn to embrace it all,

The good, the bad, the rise, the fall.

For in the end, it’s not about the destination,

But the lessons we learn along the way.

It’s about the people we meet,

the moments we share,

And the memories we create day by day.

So let us try to make our life bright,

And face everything with courage and might.

For they are a necessary part of the journey,

And lead us to a life that’s truly worthy.

By accepting that we are not meant to be happy all the time, we can learn to embrace the full spectrum of emotions and find meaning in both the positive and negative experiences of life. We can also learn to cultivate a sense of inner peace and contentment that is not dependent on external factors.

One way to cultivate this inner peace is through mindfulness practices such as meditation and self-reflection. By learning to observe our thoughts and emotions without judgment, we can develop a greater sense of self-awareness and understanding.

Another way to find meaning and purpose in life is through service to others. By helping others and contributing to society, we can find a sense of fulfillment and purpose that goes beyond our own personal happiness.

In conclusion, we are not meant to be happy all the time, and striving for constant happiness can be detrimental to our mental and emotional wellbeing.

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Pratik Asija
Dancing Elephants Press

Life is more beautiful than you will ever realize. Embrace the gift and let it work out, it all works out in the end. Live Long and Prosper.