PEBBLE
Happiness does not depend on what happens outside of you but on what happens inside of you; it is measured by the spirit with which you meet the problems of life.
-Harold B. Lee, shared by John in Provo, UT
BOULDER
Stop looking outside for scraps of pleasure or fulfillment, for validation, security, or love–you have a treasure within that is infinitely greater than anything the world can offer.
-Eckhart Tolle, shared by Debbie in Santa Monica, CA
PONDER
I confess that I tend to get a bit skittish about encouraging folks to focus on happiness as an end goal. It’s that whole thing about how chasing happiness is similar to chasing butterflies…both tend to scurry away when you’re trying to capture them. I take the view that happiness can more easily visit when you’re cultivating contentment and moving your work and your life in a positive direction and NOT when you’re sitting around trying to figure out how to be a happier person.
Last week I was hanging out with another group of P&Gers: this team had gathered to celebrate another awesome year of working together and wanted help building on the success they’ve had tweaking their mindsets and skillsets using Shawn Achor‘s research on The Happiness Advantage.
Shawn’s definition of happiness is spot on: “the joy you feel moving towards your potential,” and I really like his model that suggests we focus on a well-defined purpose while seeking meaning and balance in a variety of areas. We had great fun, and did important work exploring a meaningful approach to happiness. It reminded me that there are indeed positive, productive ways to focus on the goal of happiness, and I think this week’s quotes can help move us all a little farther along our happiness journey by focusing a little more attention on the Treasure Within.
Peace,
Paul
P.S. Did you know that much of my speaking/training work comes from long time Ripplers who first saw me speak years (or even decades) ago and then eventually find themselves part of a group planning an event that needs a splash of Ripples Guy energy? It’s true! I’d love it if you took an extra moment this week to watch this video and visit my website. Much appreciated!
