Compass for a 'Way of Life' Vol. 119

The seeds of happiness are found in the mundane.

Hello everyone! This is Yoshiyuki, the paper counselor.

First of all,
Kishakoku-sensei introduced my article.

When we hear the term 'time management,' don't we often imagine it as efficiently completing many tasks within a limited amount of time?
I would be happy if even one person could resonate with what true time management is about.

Kishakoku-sensei, thank you very much!

Now, let's get to the main topic.
This time, it is about how the seeds of happiness are found in the mundane.

Many of us have a desire to 'be happy,' don't we?
I don't think there is anyone who thinks, 'I want to be more miserable.'

So, how do you think we can reach a state of being happier than we are now?

Since many of you reading this article are very talented, I believe you already understand the essence of happiness.

On the other hand, I hear various opinions such as, 'I would be happy if I had more money,' 'It would be good to get a promotion,' 'If I could become famous,' 'I could be happy if I married a handsome man/beautiful woman,' 'If I became someone who could exert influence,' and so on.

Is that really the case?

You know, it would be nice to have more money, get a promotion, become famous, marry a handsome man or a beautiful woman, or become an influential person, right?
I wonder if I would be happy if I could become like that too.

But you know, I thought about whether I could truly feel 'I am happy' from the bottom of my heart.
As a result, I wonder if it would be expressed as 'having obtained a part of happiness'?

Is happiness something you can become when something happens or when you obtain something?
Is happiness a 'state'?

Should I express it as a feeling that naturally wells up from the depths of the heart?
Of course, there are times when you are happy because you have something or because you obtained something, but that is only a part of happiness.

Happiness might not be a 'state' so much as 'having a heart that can feel happy.'

I think anyone would feel they have 'become happy' temporarily if they could live a dream-like life.
But as I introduced in a previous article, that might just be a fleeting thing, having obtained only a part of the elements of happiness.

How can we obtain lasting happiness that continues forever?
Is the expression 'obtain' even strange?

People experience various things in their daily lives as they live, don't they?
There are good things, and there are things that are not...

A life with a few 'very good things' in it, or a life with many 'small good things' in every day,
which one would you prefer?

I think I'm the latter.
So, what are 'little good things'?

This is different for everyone, but,
like feeling that a flower blooming on the side of the road is beautiful, for example.
If your sensitivity to happiness is low, maybe you wouldn't even notice it.

Also, being able to find things to be grateful for in conversations and interactions with others might be one, too.
If you're an expert at finding the good in things, your sensitivity to happiness must be high.

I think there are many other things as well.
You see,
they are never 'flashy things'.
If anything, they are 'plain things', perhaps.

I think that the seeds of happiness might be found within those plain things.

It's a question of whether or not you can see the seeds of happiness within plain things, whether you notice them or overlook them.

When I was writing the draft for this article, the weather was nice and it was warm by the window♪
Happiness exists even in things like this.
When you can feel things like that, it means it was a 'good day'.

Isn't it just the accumulation of such things?
Plain things are important, aren't they.

This time, the topic was about how the seeds of happiness are found in plain places.

Thank you for staying with me until the end.

We have received some 'happy news!'.
We are grateful for everyone's warm support.
Thank you all so much, always!