It's one thing to have a good day or even a good week, but it's quite another thing to have a good life. To do that, we have to learn to get our happiness and then keep a tight hold on it throughout the inevitable challenges that come our way.
Imagine you have a really nice bike. It can be a mountain bike or one with tassels on the handlebars and a really useful wicker basket attached to the front or it can even be one with a motor that goes vroom-vroom when you twist the grip. Whichever way around - imagine that bike and the pleasure you get from riding it around your neighbourhood. Now imagine that someone nicks it. One day, you go to the place where you've stored it and it's gone. Not so happy now, are we?
The Buddhists call it (the thing that makes you unhappy when you lose stuff) attachment. They say that when you get attached to stuff then you're basically setting yourself up for a fall. They also say that if you have a more easy-going attitude towards ownership then you don't get so sad when it's taken away from you.
It's not just bikes that can get taken away - it's everything. There's not a single thing you have now that it isn't possible to lose. Just think about that. Basically, that means that we have a huge potential to be unhappy.
Don't worry, though - there's a solution. No, it doesn't involve giving everything away (although, actually, that's not such a bad idea). The solution is better than that because you still get to keep your bike. Cool, huh! All it involves is a simple change of attitude towards stuff. And - bonus - it involves being happy!
So here it is - the secret to keeping well is: * d r u m r o l l * be happy.
Okay?
What? You need more detail? Well, alright. Try this: be happy with what you have.
The way it works is this: if you have feet then be happy, if you have wheels then be happy, if you have a motor then be happy, if you have a rocket then be happy, if you have the Starship Enterprise then be happy, if you have the universe then be happy and if you've got to the end of this chapter, then be happy.
The End.
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How To Do Stuff Well
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