Happiness | Thoughts On Series #1
I'm trying out a new format which is more stream of conscious and less structured blog post. Do toot at me and let me know your thoughts on this format!
State of mind: at ease (from how we feel)
I was recently reading this book by Eric Jorgenson, titled The Almanac Of Naval Ravikant. It’s a book that takes inspiration from things Naval said and structures it in a coherent manner fashion.
Within this book, there are two main sections, one on wealth and another and happiness. The chapter that I am more interested in for this post is happiness.
I’ve had a rough few weeks. Without quite knowing the amount of effort required to submit a Visa application, I booked a non-refundable ticket to visit Europe. This meant quite a lot of stress trying to get it right. And then, earlier this month there have been some violent demonstrations by the far right destabilising the peace within the country.
These circumstances caused me stress and made me less satisfied with where I am in life. Constantly looking to the next thing to go right in order to be at peace.
That's where this is the book that I mentioned comes in. In the chapter on happiness, Naval describes this concept of desires and how they rob us of peace. The way he sees it, desires are contracts that we sign with ourselves to be unhappy until we get something. That something could be anything, maybe for some it’s a new car and for others it’s the newest iPhone. But we all have this something outside of our current reality that we are chasing after.
For me, it was a Visa to visit Europe and for me to walk or do things in the city I live without fear. This is where in the book Naval suggests instead being at peace with your current circumstance and not chasing after something.
And this approach of philosophy is quite liberating as you’re encouraged to take your situation for what it is and be okay with it.
That’s not to mean that you don’t do anything to affect it. It's about detaching your actions from your desires. Whatever the outcome is -- whether that’s in your favour or not -- and being at peace with it. This type of mindset in Naval’s view helps you develop a happier baseline of existence.
That’s it for week, hope you enjoyed it. If you did hit that upvote button and add a comment to my Mastodon toot letting me know if you would like to continue hearing more of my ramble-y thoughts.
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