In this post, I talk about the difference between achieving things in our outside world and finding true happiness within.
Do you want to better your external conditions so you're more likely to feel pleasure, but still susceptible to outside forces? Or, do you want to better your internal condition, so that no matter what's going on around you, you're at peace?
I think most of us want the latter, but we all focus on the former.
People aren't aware that getting more things - more money, more relationships, more pleasure - are never going to fill us inside. To do that, we must go within.
I think there are many different flavors of self-improvement, but I'm learning that there's only one that really matters, and that is spiritual awakening.
Before you cringe, let me explain.
So much of what we learn is around achievement. We are all taught how to make more money, land a dream job, get a better relationship - all external things (now, whether or not we do them is a different question). There's nothing wrong with these things. It's just that, they're not what's going to make us happy.
This is so obvious to me, and I want to help make it obvious to other people.
Think about it. If you spend most of your time being irritated and stressed, and then suddenly you win $10,000,000, you do realize you will go back to being irritated and stressed, just with more money in the bank, right?
You might say, yea, well I'd rather be irritated and stressed with ten million bucks than with my miserable bank account!
Sure, if it's a matter of having to be irritated and stressed, why not have more money.
But that's missing the point. The real point is, we want to be HAPPY. We want inner peace, joy, and love. We want ecstasy.
Nothing, absolutely nothing on the outside, will ever give us that. That's something we have to go inside ourselves for.
Is this not obvious to you?
Somewhere along the lines, someone got mistaken, perhaps a whole society, and started equating material things (or really anything that is NOT our current reality) with happiness. That is, they believed that their current life situation wasn't enough. And they got it so wrong, ultimately causing the root of all evil in this world.
I hope that you will take the time to ponder this thought. To acknowledge that whatever it is you're searching for is probably within you already.
This isn't easy to comprehend with our minds, but I've found it helpful to learn from spiritual teachers and find a mentor that resonates with you.
Don't be afraid to dive into the world of spirituality, challenge what you learn, question things, and ultimately get to the truth.
You'll eventually realize that truth is inside of you already.
Live with substance!
Gabe
