How to be happy: 'Don't just increase your freedom'

The language of flowers for Astilbe is 'freedom'.

Looking at its soft, flower-like appearance that seems to unravel in the wind,
the word freedom certainly suits it well.

But recently,
I have come to think that
continuing to aim for freedom
does not necessarily lead to happiness.

I want to be freer.
I want to live as I please.
I don't want to be tied down by anyone.

Thinking that way
is not a bad thing.

However,
the more freedom you gain,
the more anxious you may become.

You might get lost because there are too many choices,
you might have to decide everything yourself,
or you might feel the loneliness of having no one to rely on.

Freedom,
I think, comes not only with lightness,
but also with responsibility.

Conversely,
in a daily life that is a little inconvenient,
you can sometimes feel deep happiness.

Because I have a family,
my free time decreases.

Because I have responsibilities at work,
I cannot easily take a break.

Because I have people who are important to me,
I cannot act selfishly.

But,
it is precisely because of those limitations
that I feel warmth is born in life.

If,
you were not tied to anything,
not needed by anyone,
and lived every day using everything only for yourself,

would that really
be happiness?

People surely,
are not seeking freedom itself,
but perhaps they are seeking
'something they can feel safe being tied to'.

A place to return to.
Someone to protect.
A promise to keep.

Because those things exist,
you can hold on even on painful days.

That is why I
have stopped making increasing freedom
my only goal for happiness.

Even if it is a little inconvenient,
a life with things you can say 'I want to cherish this'
is much richer.
The language of flowers for Astilbe is 'freedom'.

I thought that for happiness, it is not about being tied to nothing,
but that the 'inconvenience' of being tied to
important things you chose yourself is necessary.

Books that influenced me in writing this article

Bloom where you are planted

There are times when I think it is unfortunate
that I cannot be free.

But this book
asks me, 'How do you live in the place where you are now?'
Changing your environment is not the only answer,

and even within the current inconveniences,
there is happiness that can be cultivated.
It was a book that

taught me that.
I highly recommend it.

I have also summarized other flowers for 'ways to be happy'
at the link below.
Please take as much as you need 🍀

Thank you for reading until the end.
I hope to see you in another article.
🍀 May you be happy 🍀