Lots of us are forcing happiness. We are told to be happy all of the time. Any time you feel sad, upset, angry or any of those more negative emotions you are told to let it go: to be happy or always look on the bright side of life.
It’s time to stop forcing happiness
I understand that others around you are trying to help, but by constantly running from those more hard-to-deal-with emotions you will never deal with the situations they are trying to warn you against.
If there was something dangerous that could hurt you, you would listen to that feeling of fear, wouldn’t you?
So, when you feel angry, why are you being told to stop feeling angry and be happy? Anger, just like fear, is trying to send a message to help you to grow, develop and sort your life out.
Chocolate cake
I use an example of how these feelings can help:
I love chocolate cake, so when I see a freshly baked cake I get excited to try a piece.
If I were to eat one piece I would be thinking ‘yum!’ – I can’t wait for another piece. So, still excited I cut another piece, and another until half the cake is gone. As I look down at the half-eaten cake I start feeling anxious and scared. I have eaten half of the chocolate cake am I going to put on weight? And if I eat any more I could be sick.
It’s the same cake but with two very different responses. One of excitement to begin with (telling me to have some cake) and the other, after eating half of the cake, of anxiety and dread, telling you to stop eating.
Listen to your feelings
Forcing happiness or any other emotion, isn’t helpful. This is why it is important to listen to both the good and bad emotions. They are trying to lead you to a path with a more level lifestyle, in which you can and grow and develop.
Constant happiness is an unrealistic goal that is expected of you and the world.
Rather than forcing happiness, try instead to listen to those emotions so that you can sort parts of your life out that aren’t working and grow into a better human being as a result.
