Thu, 28 Mar, 2024

Happiness: Inspirational Goaling

By Ashmita Kunwar

What is happiness? Every one of us can define it in our own way and have own definition of happiness. However, does your definition of happiness match with your practical life, or is it just a verbal definition with no clue of true happiness? I too was wondering what actually happiness is. I thought to Google it. I typed “What is happiness?” I got many links explaining about happiness. First, I went through Wikipedia which explains “happiness is the emotional and the mental state of well-being characterized by the positive and the pleasant emotions ranging from the contentment to intense the joy”. Then, I read more articles. Some of the articles describe happiness as money, money can buy happiness. Some refer that happiness is the pleasure, success and many more. Still, I had no clear cut clue of which definition flatteringly describes happiness. In search of the meaning of happiness, I read an article which acquainted me with the term “Inspirational Goaling”. Lynn Moore is the creator of this term. With this term now, I can define what happiness is and the process of gaining happiness in life. Inspirational Goaling means finding happiness at the moment. Life is a series of never ending present moments. As said by someone wise “If you are depressed, you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in future and if you are at peace you are living in the present.” Therefore, life is in the present moment. If you are blissful at present, inevitably you will be happy in your future because your present makes your future but has no control over the past. Inspirational Goaling defines happiness at the moment, step at a time, moment by moment, steadily moving forward process bridging the gap from frustration. It is also a way of giving idea to who you are, what you want and how to get it? Past is gone and we have no control over it, but we can control our future with the help of this moment at present. Majority of us always think about the future, we question ourselves, "Will I get what I want in future?" And, we worry about that every time as we have stereotypical thought that future is the perfect time for the happiness in life. With that tension in mind we start to work hard thinking about the future, missing happiness at the present. According to our perspective, life is our future, success that we will gain in the future is our happiness but we always forget that future is the outcome of present. Some of us work hard in the stress-full mind worrying about the future and some of give damn care to the present moment and only pile everything for the future. Both the perspectives are bad. If you want to get happiness in your life, be happy from now. Future never comes, piling everything for future will not make you happy, but it does not mean that you don’t need to work. You have to work hard to get something you want at the moment. That'll bring happiness. For every little achievement you make in your life enjoy it, be happy. As said above, life is the series of many never ending present moments. You should do whatever you want at present, don’t think of victory only in the future. Succeeding every single moment, every single task you do, every single day will make you achieve automatically what you want in the future. This builds up your confidence day by day. The exception is that, doing something bad at present for happiness will never lead you towards the happy future. Do not move away from small little things, these are the basic sources to get what you want i.e. success and happiness. Look everything in a positive way, never give up before trying. Never leave any work unfinished; once you start you need to complete it. The important mechanism is seeing everything in tangible way. Not setting it as dream but reaching it at the moment is the best way for the happiness. If you get what you want in your life, if you flourish in every single step, it is happiness of your life. Let me give you a practical example, we have lots of assignment in our college and they are never ending until we pass-out of our college. Many of us including myself always worry about the assignment and I am never happy on completing any single of them as again I have to start worrying for the next assignment. If we complete the assignment with pressure-full mind, we will never be happy for sure. For that, set a goal for completing one assignment at the moment and enjoy the happiness for its achievement. Think positive; see half glass of water as half full, never see it as half empty. Don’t pile things up for the future, complete them today and get what you want in your life. Ups and downs are the different steps of life, never worry if something goes wrong in spite of you working hard and doing good, you will achieve it soon. Live your life in a meaningful way with the good reasons and always be happy. :)