40+FAB Blog

Sometimes the realities of life that our parents tried to teach us do not really become apparent until much later in life, like when we become responsible for others.

The pursuit of happiness in everything at all times is really a futile quest that causes one to become a lopsided creature. It became really clear to me when I realised that trying to keep my children happy all the time sometimes meant creating unnatural conditions that tried to by pass vital emotions, which they need to develop in a wholesome way, like patience or resilience.

There is a really good movie by Pixar animations titled Inside Out, which addresses this concept so well. Happiness is only one of the many emotions that we possess, and just like all the four weather seasons have a purpose, so do all our other emotions that we sometimes try to repress in favour of happiness.

Sunshine is great, but the earth also needs the rain. Happiness is an awesome emotion, but we need to be able to deal with sadness, anger, patience, fear and many other emotions. Sometimes, as counterintuitive as it sounds, our greatest moments of happiness come after a season of much pain and sadness.

Do not let your life be skewed by an unbalanced pursuit of only one emotion. Understand the purpose of every emotion and give them thier time and rightful place to make your life more balanced and fulfilled.