We talk a lot about happiness as an objective, as something we need to achieve or chase, and as something that we often believe is out of our reach. Yet, with practice, anyone can experience true happiness. What we often do not realise, is that happiness can, in one way or another, be learnt, and cultivated. Being happy is not so much about a transient state of well-being, but is a continuum, or in other words, a constant emotional state of being. It is therefore an inner reality, which develops thanks to a deep-seated drive from within that contributes to generating a state of peace and balance.
By analysing the different aspects of happiness, we can better understand the subtle differences at play: there is happiness for good reasons, such as the satisfaction we feel from healthy experiences; there is happiness for bad reasons, which, for example, derives from external needs or addictions; and there is unhappiness, which is a result of depression, in other words, a tendency to feel anxiety, sleepiness, tiredness, or sadness. The last two kinds of happiness are unhealthy. Unhappy people sometimes resort to filters, which never really fill their sense of emptiness, such as drugs, alcohol, or they may develop eating disorders. People who are happy for the wrong reason, on the other hand, link their happiness to external events, such as buying an expensive car, a bigger house, or receiving recognition at work. The fact is, that depending on external factors undermines our happiness, because in the absence of the desired outcome, that feeling of happiness that we anticipated will lose its impact.
Genuine happiness, on the other hand, does not come from accumulating wonderful experiences, but is born and resides within our soul. This is why it is called ‘happiness for no reason’, because it represents a state of peace and balance, which does not rely on external factors.
So, in order to achieve genuine happiness, we must aim to rediscover that sacred place that lies within us. It is not about experiencing moments of euphoria, or peaks of enthusiasm, but a state of being, which remains stable, even when the external conditions around us are deteriorating. People who are happy for no reason are able to bring happiness with them wherever they go, and spread it to those around them, because their happiness is not dependent on their external conditions, but on them as people, and the awareness they have of their inner wealth. This is an important change of perspective, because it allows us to go from being a passive player to having an active role in the world, and to no longer manipulating the reality of our surroundings.
In order to achieve genuine happiness, all we need is a little initial practice, which if carefully cultivated over the course of time, can lead to life-changing results. People who are happy for no reason live for the joy of experiencing life, not for happiness itself. When we are happy, we are always happy, unconditionally, and we will not lose that light, no matter what happens. This type of happiness also has a very precise language, and is expressed through vitality. We feel energetic, part of an active flow, we feel compassionate towards ourselves and others, we live passionately, we feel gratitude and we forgive, we are at peace with life, and above all, we live in the present.
Numerous studies have confirmed the hypothesis that innate happiness does exist, and it is a specific, measurable physiological state, which is characterised by distinct brain activity, heart rhythms, and body chemistry. Experts have shown how people who are happy for no reason develop more activity in the left cortex of their brain, and produce more of the good hormones, which are often associated with happiness, such as oxytocin, serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins.
