When I think of happiness, I picture myself in a specific place, situation, and feeling. I picture the people around me and even what I’m doing. Several years ago, I couldn’t do that. I had no idea what happiness looked like. I realized that I had always wanted to be happy. I had searched for this illusive thing all of my life, yet I did not know what I was looking for. One day I happened upon some material produced by Steven Covey. I spent a few dollars, and after going through the material, I realized what my problem was.
I didn’t know what happiness was, because I had nothing I could use to orient it with. I had been searching for some kind of mirage, that I not only couldn’t see, but I couldn’t understand. The reason happiness was so illusive to me, was that I didn’t even know what I really wanted out of life. Worse, I didn’t understand who I was, or who I wanted to become. I didn’t know what that final destination was suppose to be either. To me happiness was some far away destination which required a very long journey. I guess I expected to be carried there in vehicles such as fortune, fame and influence.
I suppose I was looking for a map to happiness, as though this was a certain place where everyone went. I wanted to go where everyone else was going to be happy. I figured all I would have to do was to find this map, and I would be able to find my way.
I was a scoutmaster for quite a while, and I often tried to teach my scouts some orienteering skills. A young fellow like that, had no idea what orienteering was, let alone know how to read a map or use a compass. (In short, Orienteering is using a map and compass to know where you are, and be able to find where you want to go using that map.) So for some time we would work on those skills. It took quite a while to teach them well enough to comprehend all the steps and how to use the tools to at last locate the place where they were on a map. It took longer to help them understand how to use the map to get from one place to another.
Thinking of this example, if we were lost in the back country, and we were handed a map, it wouldn’t mean much. For one thing, we would need the right map, which would correspond to the location we were in. Then we would have to figure out exactly where we were. We would have to have the right tools to find that spot, and to keep our map oriented in the right direction. Then we would need to know where it was we wanted to go. Only after answering for all those factors, would we be able to find our way.
So for that map to happiness, (in my imagining to find happiness), it would require the same things. I knew that until I knew what I really wanted, who I really was, and where I was starting from and the tools I would need to get there, and finally be able to recognize the destination when I arrived, I would always be searching a dream.
As I worked on trying what Steve Covey instructed, I learned a few things about myself. It took a long time to come up with a definition of myself. It took longer to formulate a mission statement, and nearly as long to set real workable goals for my life. Nevertheless, in the process, I realized that I knew what happiness truly was for me. It was shocking to me, because I also realized that with those things figured out, I already had all of the tools I needed. I also felt that my destination was clearly in my view.
My first step in this process was learning who I really am.
I believe that this will help anyone to find happiness. So if I may, I would suggest reading Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Successful People. He has all those steps clearly marked. It can be found at the following link. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_5?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=7+habits+of+highly+effective+people&sprefix=7+hab%2Cstripbook
Knowing more clearly who I am really helps.
Until next time.
Jene
No comments:
Post a Comment