Incredible India monthly contest of September #2 | Inner peace or outer joy!
I think your thoughts on peace and happiness are insightful, and they effectively explain the difference between these two emotions, which ultimately determine how people live their lives.
I agree with your perspective on inner peace; as you mentioned, it can sometimes be found in a stable routine, like a 9-to-5 job (in my case, it was 9 to 6 until a few years ago), while external happiness comes from material possessions and wealth.
However, I believe that inner peace is more enduring, as it maintains a balance between mental equilibrium and emotional fulfillment. Now I come to your questions:
What is your priority: inner peace or external happiness?
I am not a "know-it-all," so even if I choose inner peace because that is permanent, in some cases outer joy is not a bad idea either. I can still answer your question, and I can tell you what brings me happiness.
It could be anything; I can say that I try to understand my problems, needs, and desires through my knowledge and wisdom and thus determine what brings me happiness. Yes, depending on the situation, I find happiness through my own reasoning and discernment, and that could be inner or outer depending upon the situation.
I believe in self-reliance, and I try to achieve happiness through self-control. I use my intelligence and wisdom to determine whether inner peace or external happiness brings me greater fulfillment.
I believe that the mind is inherently restless, while the soul is inherently calm. When I deeply study these two natures, I can say that I try to understand and embrace the path of inner peace. But as a simple human being, I can also say that sometimes, external happiness isn't such a bad thing either.
Do you believe anyone can achieve outer joy but not inner peace? Justify!
You would agree with me on this point, wouldn't you, that most people are constantly seeking external happiness, which, in most cases, is never truly lasting? As long as we keep looking for happiness from others, we will never be truly happy. That's life. Happiness doesn't have a fixed meaning; it's just a feeling. We can experience it ourselves.
Happiness can come from very simple things, like sometimes I feel happy when I sense the smell of fresh food coming from kitchen. But the truth is, we always look for happiness in big things. When those big joys come into our lives, which we have longed for years, we often don't even appreciate them. So, I believe we should fully immerse ourselves in whatever brings us happiness in 'that" moment.
I believe that life is ever-changing, and what I have today may not be with me tomorrow. Then, I won't have any regrets about the present. I live in the present and find happiness in what I have today.
This has always been my philosophy because only the present is within our control, and we cannot control the future. So why not be content with what we have today, even if it's not much? I don't believe in empty promises or double-talk, and I believe that to be happy, we only need to be present in the moment. Our world is found within that moment.
Share some lessons related to the above two!
The desire for inner peace is natural to the human mind. We all strive to achieve it in various ways, usually assuming that it is an automatic consequence of fulfilling our material desires, such as a prestigious job, the next promotion, or owning a house, car, etc.
Naturally, we all want the best life. We constantly strive for it in various ways. However, we don't always achieve everything, and instead, we move further away from inner peace.
Even when we seem to have found inner peace, it doesn't last long. I believe we all work hard to achieve the goals we set for ourselves in life, which usually include acquiring material possessions, such as an expensive car, a beautiful house, a high position, prestige, etc. Inner peace is something we take for granted, or our approach is often that if we acquire certain material possessions, inner peace will automatically follow.
But is that really the case? As soon as you get one thing, you immediately make a list of another. The truth is, what I do is perhaps very different because I was born in an era without media like TV, the internet, etc. I had a bicycle and later a scooter, then a car, and cell phone, and I started using a computer on my own which I am proud of and happy about. I worked without a mobile phone during my busiest service period, and I feel even then I did just as well as I do now.
I have seen all kinds of happiness and sorrow in my life, both when I knew nothing about these modern gadgets and today when I know how to use them for my pleasure. Happiness is a state of mind, and if you know the art of being happy from within, happiness itself will follow you.
Conclusion:
I can sense new possibilities for happiness, and I trust myself. So, if you understand the value of inner happiness, then external happiness isn't a bad thing either, in fact, the difference between the two becomes insignificant, and you remain happy as per the circumstances.
Beneficiary @meraindia
I invite @enrisanti, @senehasa and @mile16 to join this contest
Gracias por la invitación, mi estimado amigo. Al igual que usted, creo que es difícil omitir la felicidad exterior, por más monjes budistas del Tibet que nosotros seamos. Saludos.
Thanks for accepting and agreeing with my views dear friend.
https://x.com/simaodev11/status/1971383229522559157
Thank you for sharing wonderful write up. True happiness starts within us. It is a quiet power.
Interesting
Your thoughts on peace and happiness are insightful, and they effectively explain the difference between these two emotions, which ultimately determine how people live their lives.