Mental Maps for Happiness

We are currently talking about the way we define happiness. In others words, happiness is a by product of our mind's definition. We can lose our happiness if we see our current situation with unpleasantness and hope for an alternative. I am not referring about problem solving here. I am referring about the mental maps we make about the definition of happiness. For instance, I can say to myself...'I will be happy if I go for a trip this vacation'. I can also decide ' I am going to be happy this vacation by spending time with my family by doing lot of activities like watching movies together,  playing board games, cooking special food, visiting friends, etc.'

Both are definitions of happiness. But we ultimately decide between what gives us happiness or how we can choose to be happy. There is a vast difference between the two and the secret of defining happiness depends on our heart's maturity. If we learn to be content with any situation in our lives, i.e. learning to be happy with our current situation then we can learn to make mental maps of happiness by choosing ways to be happy. Rather than saying I will be happy if I get this or I will be happy if I find love/friendship/relationship, then we are basing our happiness on something or someone which is not directly under our control. By doing so we will fail to be happy at all...

Paul learnt this secret...He quotes this in Phil 4:12-14 (The Message)

I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty.

I learnt this lesson from my dad...