Recently I read an email that promised me 7 ways I could please my ego; 7 practices I could adopt that would bring more happiness into my life; guaranteed. And upon reading them, I could see how they just might work. I had actually even practiced more than half of them already, and had indeed met with some measure of success while doing so.

AND YET, if there is one thing I have learned over the past nine+ years of my life, it is that mere “happiness” — no matter how intense it might be on the short term — is always just as feeble as it is fleeting, and that striving for such hollow “contentment” always seems to inevitably bring feelings of sorrow & meaninglessness that are just as potent.

So, with that in mind, I thought I would offer you two lists — the original “how to be happier” list that was given to me, along with a “How to know PEACE instead” list; containing a few of the practices that I have tested over the last decade or so of my life that have always brought me JOY (far more pleasurable than mere happiness) and PEACE (far more contented than mere ease).

Two lists — two very different sets of consequences … one list that feeds the desires of the ego and its yearnings for the brittle myths of wealth & security & pleasure (that always bring commensurate sensations of suffering), and the other list that fulfills the calling of the Soul for the solid solaces of selflessness & harmony & generosity (that always brings deep-seated experiences of Bliss) … One list tempts us to continue living as our “only human” ego-self; while the other inspires us to transcend those illusory limitations and live instead in alignment with our Human(e) True-SELF.

So let’s take a look, shall we?

Tip #01 … While it might be a good thing to stop doing things you don’t want to do, your Soul will only blossom when you purposefully do those very things -– for others.

Tip #02 … While it might be a good thing to learn to communicate clearly with flagrant words and direct intentions, your Soul will only be satisfied when you communicate with your Walk, not your talk.

Tip #03 … While it might be a good thing to stop “people-pleasing”, your Soul will only know real Satisfaction while willingly Caring for others.

Tip #04 … While it might be a good thing to never talk yourself down, your Soul simply wants you to build others up.

Tip #05 … While it might be a good thing to follow your inspirations and strive to fulfill your goals, your Soujl only yearns for you to help fulfill others’ dreams.

Tip #06 … While it might be a good thing to not be afraid to say “no”, your Soul wants — especially in times of fear — for you to say “Yes!” anyway.

Tip #07 … While it might be a good thing to have fun & know pleasure & relax in comfort, your Soul wants you to know real Joy by sacrificing what you already have for the betterment of those around you; by investing in your community instead of yourself.

In closing, please note that neither of these lists is “better” or “worse” than the other, and that neither is “right” or “wrong” … They simply have very different agendas, and therefore bring with them very different very results.

Both of them are available to every one of us in every moment of your lives … Indeed, both are waiting within you this very moment; waiting to be chosen anew right now.

And one thing is for sure: choose between them you must …
So please go forth today and choose wisely.

Filed under: simple Answers to tough Questions by Scaughdt