TRUE SATISFACTION IN LIFE
SOURCING DEEP HAPPINESS
DEFINITION
A state of fully "seeing" that your expectations in life have been fulfilled (met, completed).
Expectation, in this context, is "a standard that must be met". It can be realistic or unrealistic - the latter guarantees unfilled expectations and thus unhappiness.
In this context, the nature of "expectation" is that it is held as a must (an "in order to", a condition) that must be met if one is to be happy.
The definition is a little tricky and hard to hold onto initially but being clear about it will serve you for a happier life!
SEEING "IT"
In order to experience "true satisfaction" one must have the viewpoint of appreciating what is in life and knowing that this life (this world and all that is in it) is more than is needed (or expected) to be happy.
Heh?!
If you react to that statement with disbelief or thinking it is impractical, that is because there are some beliefs you hold that are not necessarily true. [In plainer terms: they are not at all true!]
"I will not be satisifed until I am richer, smarter..." This is the basis for "suffering", as the Buddha puts it. We can never be satisfied if we need "more", constantly, in order to be satisfied.
We can never be happy if we keep telling ourselves "I'll be happ when..." - which means I am not happy now!
BUT DON'T I NEED MORE?
Well, there is a question underneath all of this that must be answered since we are human beings and will always be human and not always be able to "rise above it all" and go into true enlightenment and eternal bliss...
There is a point, at least for me, that I want to reach that will be satisfying to me. Yes, I am caught a bit in the judgment thing, but only in a small sense. I can be happy about all that is in life, but the satisfaction I am talking about here that I want is to know that I am a good human being. And, of course, to know that I have reached that point I need to have more specific criteria.
Kind (in the now for current benefiting of myself and others, but also in leaving a 'legacy', which is a bundle that keeps on producing good stuff even if I am not present)
Prudent (mostly, allowing myself some error in the process of being human and not knowing everything needed to never make a mistake). In order to be prudent, of course, I must be thoughtful, meaning I think about things, try to learn what I can, and try to produce good results for myself and others. Prudent, to me, includes being 100% responsible for my life and the effects I produce.
Respectful in action of my body/mind and its health.
Grateful/appreciative - I don't really expect this, but I realize that it is part of seeing that I (my life) is filled up with good stuff of true value - not things but what I truly value, which are the happiness producers. (Notice that grateful ends with "ful", or "full".)
Personall effectiveness - Not some "superman" type of effectiveness, but enough to cause effects that are favorable, to be able to respond to undesired outcomes with mostly effective strategies/responses. A sense of being in charge of my life, given the limits of my ability to learn 'everything'.
Now, of course, I cannot be satisfied if I expect myself to be perfect in the above, since perfect is a condition that is never satisfied (achieved, met). So, my criterion here is "80% or more" is pretty darned great!
EXPECTATIONS - GETTING CLEAR ON THIS
Be sure to read one of the great "secrets" to unhappiness (and especially depression): The Unhappiness Gap.
