The Happiness Experiment

Today we have access to an abundance of luxuries money can buy.

Today if something is happening in one part of the world, then we get to know in just a few seconds thanks to the digital revolution we have been witnessing.

Technology has solved so many of the problems our previous generations had faced: mail is replaced with emails, in-person meetings are replaced with Skype, FaceTime and Phone Calls, and manual processes & systems are replaced with Automated Systems, Software, and Apps.

Speed + agility are considered the virtues of our time.

If you are smart + fast + uber-intellectual, then others admire you.

If you have generated material results for your (or anyone else’s) business, then you are regarded as a respectable entity in your industry and many community organizations ask you to join their board as a mentor, advisor, consultant or a director.

If you have extraordinaire skills of handling difficult situations, the world is ready to do everything possible to pay you more $$$ and get more out of your abilities.

The Language of Accomplishment has become a universal language that everyone seems to be speaking… and practicing… and appreciating. I’m not sure about the “understanding” part, though but that’s not the point.

Why do we chase material accomplishments?

To live a happy and joyful life, isn’t it?

But, are we really happy?

If you answer is an absolute YES then you don’t need to read the remaining part of this post. The purpose of this post is solved!

But if your answer is NO then you should read on.

Okay, and if your answer is not an outright NO, but you took more than a couple of seconds to answer the above question (delayed NO) then you are dreaming doing something else than what you have been doing. You should also read on 🙂

I know that you want to run away from your present state and spend more time with the state that you have been imagining in your mind.

But you know that if you do that, you might lose the material success you have created for you – so you continue doing what you have been doing… unhappily.

What if we get a moment or two of happiness to connect with something that will give us happiness?

For me, photography is one such avenue.

Last week, my better half Kavita invited me to participate in an experiment where I was supposed to post 7 Nature photographs on Facebook and ask other photography enthusiasts from my circle to do the same.

During 2008-2013, I spent some good time with my Camera but in last 2-3 years, I kept away with it for several valid reasons (read: excuses) so it was a refreshing invite.

Long story short, I am participating in the experiment. Here are the Nature pics (experiment ongoing …)

Would you like to live in an unhappy world full of accomplishments?

If not, then my invitation to you is to pause for a moment, reconnect with one activity that can potentially give you internal happiness and just do that!

And the world will become a happier place :).