On the previous article, I wrote about how our society is spending too much resources on happiness. And the question to ask is – why?
One of the most obvious reasons is that life is tough. Some people might disagree because they are wealthy, or they are healthy. But even with those people, deep down, they have some sadness or fear that they try to forget.
The main difference between humans and animals is our cognitive abilities. It is a gift and a curse. It is a gift in a way that we have been able to advance and innovate more than any other species can. Unfortunately, being cognitively aware of our future and our eventual demise brings a lot of sadness (or denial) to most people.
We are all aware that one day, our time will run out. And whether you’re rich or poor, death is the scariest and most saddening concept we have to accept. I believe this is one of the reasons we are all chasing happiness. It is also the reason that religion exist. Religions enable believers to cope with death with the concept of the after life. It is not the only purpose of religion but the promise of going to heaven makes life bearable for believers. The whole YOLO (you only live once) movement going on now due to realization that tomorrow is never promised.
Death is not the only reason life is difficult. For one, we have societal expectations which tend to define success and failures, winners and losers. We also have the concept of money. As some people would say, ‘money is the root of all evil’. For those with money, life is relatively easy. For the poor, they are forced to suffer some incredible indignities just to be able to survive.
And we cannot forget about health. Health is everything; without it, all the wealth in the world doesn’t mean much. And it is in all aspect of healthy leaving. For instance, mental health might be overlooked. But look at famous and wealth people committing suicide although they have the resources to deal with it. Poor people with mental illness end up in jail or homeless.
Healthy relationships take effort to maintain. We congratulate a couple celebrating 40 years of marriage because we understand the sacrifice and unselfishness it takes to tolerate each other for that long.
Fortunately, there is you. You are stronger than the things are difficult. At the beginning, you might not be strong enough, but you can learn, practice and become stronger. For instance, running a marathon is difficult. The first day of training is terrifying. The following day is tiring but tolerable. After a few weeks, you can run several miles with some confidence. The body will eventually adapt. The task it self (running a marathon) doesn’t get easier, you get stronger.
Life will throw you a lot of curve balls. But you will survive most of them. As you age, you will gain knowledge and skills to cope with the harshness of life. Whatever you’re dealing with, remember it will pass just like all the other challenges you have dealt with. Just be true to yourself and know when to ask for help or when to lose a fight in order to fight another day.
Thank you for reading.
