One
of my biggest day-to-day challenges is to remember that joy is more
important than happiness. Joy is a sense of peace and well-being that
comes from the inside. Happiness is a condition that comes from external
circumstances.
When
I can stay fully present in the moment, I can feel joy no matter how
uncomfortable my body is, regardless of the balance in my checking account,
whether or not my partner has told me how wonderful I am today, no matter
how far I am from completing my goals for today.
But,
if my mind has me worrying about the future or frustrated about the
past, the best I can hope for is a little fleeting happiness. That fragile
happiness will always be dependent upon some external event-I get to
the stoplight before it turns red; I owe $100 less in income tax than
I thought I would; my grandson tells me he loves me; the rain stops
and the sun comes out.
Joy
or happiness? The choice is simple, but not easy, because it requires
me to stay present in this very moment.