Why do we Delay Happiness?
We’ve all said something along the lines of ‘once I’ve done this I’ll be happy’. Whether its exams, a particular week at work, or cleaning the house. Why do we delay ourselves happiness? This seems like a strange concept that has become prominent in today’s society.
Ultimately, something else always arrives and it’s another thing to get out the way, so we can be happy. We should embrace the journey, the opportunity, the challenge, the conflict. Surely that is more sensible then living life until ‘that thing’ is done.
As a society we are pretty goal driven: I want to earn this much, own this house, drive this car. Happiness is continually delayed until the next milestone and these milestones are continually evolving. Furthermore, we get trapped in this ‘either-or mentality’ where we either achieve and feel successful or fail and feel disappointed.
In a world of increasing chaos, where there are so many unpredictable factors and uncertainties, trying to find perfection in the midst of this is essentially an impossible challenge. We need to resist the temptation of fighting the chaos. As after all, the only certainty is uncertainty. Chaos is a never-ending reality of life and we need to prevent it from distracting us and from causing unnecessary pain.
What’s the solution? Well, it’s not that simple. But, moving into a mind-set of making the most of the current moment and appreciating that unexpected things will occur is a good way to start. Every time you catch yourself muttering ‘once I’ve’ – stop yourself and enjoy the moment.
