How to be happy
How can I be happy?
I see a lot of posts on Medium about happiness and how to be happy. Lists and plans and methods and all sorts of tips. And while much of it is helpful, for the most part it’s too complicated. Entire religions have been created to turn this simple question into an answer loaded with a complex monstrosity of ritual, process and dogma.
Some people know what makes them happy and they do that. This article is not for you. Go away and enjoy your happiness.
This article is for people who are not happy and are looking for what will make them happy. This article is exactly what you need.
The path to happiness is very simple:
- Stop trying to be happy.
- Help others to do whatever makes them happy.
- You’ll be happy.
You can stop right there. Really, that’s all you need. I encourage you to stop reading. Just go out and practice those three steps in your daily life. Spend one day not pursuing your happiness and just trying to make others happy. See how it goes.
I really don’t want you to read more, because that need for more explanation is just the uber-rational part of your brain telling you that you need a ‘reason’ to be happy. That conversation says ‘your happiness needs to make sense.’
Bullshit. That internal conversation is what has convinced you that there is some extrinsic fountain of happiness and if you are just smart enough to solve this problem, you’ll find it.
That internal conversation is a trap. It is designed to perpetuate its own existence, not to help you be happy.
So stop here and just try the 3 steps above.
Try it, then come back tomorrow and if you need more details, read the explanation in part 2. (Do not read part 2 right now).
Go help someone smile.
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