I always thought I'd feel more settled in myself and less reliant on others as I grew up. In the last few years, however, I have realized how interconnected the world is. Nature has so intricately organized herself into a system where everything relies on everything else to grow. No plant grows in a vacuum without external aid. The earthworms are needed to break down matter and create nutrient-dense soil, and the bees are needed to pollinate flowers to create seeds. In the same way, we rely on businesses to employ us or on customers to sustain our businesses. Nothing escapes the webbed arrangement of nature.
So, when I hear the advice "Never let your happiness depend on others,” or “Happiness should come from within,” or “Don't expect anything from anyone,” I feel baffled, because the actions of others do make us unhappy sometimes, and they do affect our quality of life. No matter how hard we try to be self reliant, at the end of the day we live in a community, and we have to lean on others at times. It feels unjust to pin the reason for our unhappiness on ourselves when we are not the reason for it, and when we are trying our best to take everything positively and grow. Often we feel stuck because of something that someone else said or did to us.
So, I've been pondering how to create our own happiness in an interconnected world. I'm nowhere near understanding all the answers, but my but my dad likes to say that nobody has the whole puzzle, we just have the pieces.
Here are 8 tips for finding happiness.
1. Judge the level of control you have over a situation
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Bu hikaye Heartfulness eMagazine dergisinin March 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
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TIME IS A PRECIOUS RESOURCE
SARA BUBBER tells a story about a king who set a challenge in order to find an assistant. The outcome teaches us the value of time. She also gives us a thoughtful heart activity, and tells us some fun facts about time.
WHEN A BIRD SINGS, DO YOU ANALYZE IT?
SIDDHARTH KAK is an Indian documentary maker, television producer, and presenter, best known as the producer and presenter of Surabhi. Here, he is interviewed by PURNIMA RAMAKRISHNAN at the Global Spirituality Mahotsav about being stoic, and he shares two unique stories on how culture and language can transcend borders, time, and unexpected circumstances.
Become Your Own Influence
AARYAN ARORA is a young actor, musician, and composer. He was interviewed by PRAGYA MISHRA during the Global Spirituality Mahotsav on the impact of meditation on his creativity and sense of inner balance, and the advice he would give young people struggling to find their way.
Cultivating Peace: Water, Wetlands, and Biophilia for a Loving World
SRAVAN BANDA reminds us of the importance of water in a peaceful world. He especially focuses on wetlands, often referred to as the Earth's kidneys, and asks us to continue the work of World Water Day throughout the rest of the year.
It's Time for Love to Go Viral
DR. ROLLIN MCCRATY shares the science of the synchronicity between the heart and mind and, when they are in sync, how the love that is created can positively connect us to each other and everything in the world.
HUMAN FELLOWSHIP
NILAKSHI RAJKHOWA is the Director, Office of Public Affairs, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'i Faith in India. During the Mahotsav, she challenged everyone to join together to overcome our current crises, by starting with the heart.
There Will Always Be PROBLEMS
GOUR GOPAL DAS is an Indian monk, lifestyle coach, motivational speaker, and former electrical engineer. He talks about the inevitability of problems and how developing a state of inner peace can help us to navigate those problems, and not allow them to hold us back from living a fulfilling and whole life.
An Honor Bestowed
On the final morning of the Mahotsav, the Right Honorable PATRICIA SCOTLAND, KC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, spoke about the role DAAJI has played in bringing spirituality to the world, unifying people of all faiths and cultures, and nurturing nature. In honor of his work, she bestowed upon him the title of Global Ambassador for Peacebuilding and Faith in the Commonwealth. Below is the speech she made while conferring the honor.
Love for the Sake of Love
On the second day of the Mahotsav, DAAJI spoke about the purpose of the gathering, why there are different religious practices in different faiths, how to nurture the soul, and how all people can come together for a better world.
RECONNECTING WITH YOUR INNER CHILD
DR. JOSEPH HOWELL is the founder of The Institute for Conscious Being in the US. During his keynote address at the Global Spirituality Mahotsav, he guided the audience through an exercise to help them find spiritual connection by connecting to their inner child.