Why are we unhappy? The Road to Happiness #1

When I was in high school, I met someone and my Journey on the road to happiness began. He and his organisation was very knowledgeable, and his wisdom has guided me in plenty situations. One keystone of his wisdom was this: one has to know themselves. To know yourself you have to become acquainted with yourself. At the first glance it sounds senseless. How can you become acquainted with yourself, when you are already you? Don’t you already know who you are?

Unfortunately the answer for the most part is no. We don’t know ourselves. We have no idea who we are. We know what we can do in certain times but we don’t know why we do that. What is the motive behind our actions? Why are you doing what you’re doing? Why are you feeling your feelings?

This is the question that goes unanswered for our actions. Even though sometimes we answer this question, it is often superficial. This answer satisfies our seek and we cease trying to find deeper sources. The occasional frustration… time to time comes a sorrowful low-tide. We feel these emotions without knowing where they are originated from. And we can not effectively solve their problems, therefore persist the unwanted emotions.

The wisdom of my friend had shown me, that the origin of these low-tides are actually relatively simple to find.

Everyone has a line of their expectancies proportional to their wants. And people has a line of their experiences. The gap between these two lines creates a sinkhole. And in this sinkhole perishes the precious energy of life. This is how low energy becomes agony, anger, and angst. The empty void between our expectancies and our realities becomes our source of sorrow.

We have to learn to take control. To identify where the gap lies, and to decide how to close it is the main goal now.