The Key to Happiness

"Happiness is simply the absence of desire. Happiness is not about the achievement of pleasure, but the lack of desire. Happiness is the state you enter when you no longer desire to change your state." - Atomic Habits, James Clear. 

" Desire is a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want." - The Almanack of Naval Ravikant

Craving is about wanting to fix everything. Observation without craving is the realization you do not need to fix anything.

Your desires are not running rampant.

You do not crave a change in state. Your mind does not generate a problem for you. You are simply observing and existing. - Atomic Habits, James Clear.

" All cravings are the mind seeking salvation or fulfillment in the external things and in the future as a substitute for the joy of Being. " - The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle

So, don't seek to be free of desire or seek to achieve enlightenment because that is just another form of fulfillment.

What does it mean to present? In the Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer, the author states to be present is to be aware of who you are.

He explains to be aware of who you are, lets make a list of what you're not...

• You're not simply your age, weight or height because that changes.
• You're not simply you name because that's just a collection of letters. If your name changed it would not change who you are. 
• You're not just a summary of your life story, your job title, your relationships(being a wife, being a parent) because if all these things ceased to exist you would still be you.

Michael A Singer continues with if you're not a collection of these external/outside things... let's look internally. 

• Am I my emotions? Your emotions come and go, there is times when you feel no emotion at all, but you still exist. You notice the different emotions that pass before you.
• Am I my thoughts? The verb " to think" is defined as " to form thoughts, to use the mind to consider ideas and make judgments. Who is using the mind to create thoughts? Who struggles with their thoughts? 

 A subject-to-object relationship exists in the outer world experiences, you can see that things are separate from you. You can't be something you're aware of. 

Same goes for your thoughts and emotions, you are aware when you're happy or sad. You're aware when your mind won't stop racing. When your mind is calm, you are still the one noticing these things occur. So seriously..Who are you?

We know who we are not, but what is left once we've cleared the dust? Michael A. Singer explains, if all outside objects disappear you will still exist, if your thoughts and emotions ceased to exist you would still be here.

" When you look without creating thoughts, your consciousness is effortlessly aware of, and fully comprehend all it sees. " 

But, what would happen if our awareness did not exist?- Well we would not exist. There would be no sense of self. There would be no awareness of being. No matter how many things are in front of you without consciousness there is nothing there.

"If you are conscious, there can be nothing in front of you but you are fully aware there is nothing. "

So back to the question. "Who am I?" 

" ' I am the one who sees. From the back in here somewhere, I look out, and I am aware of the events, thoughts, and emotions that pass before me. ' " - The Untethered Soul

" A true spiritual being lives there without effort and without intent."

From the very start of your life you've been the conscious receiver of all that was. 

As you pull back into consciousness, this world ceases to be a problem. It keeps changing but it's just something you are watching.

Do you want to be happy or not? The choice now is in your hands.

Things out of your control WILL happen. No matter how much you think about it or suffer behind the fear of something happening. 

The true question is " Will I be happy regardless of what happens?" 

• You no longer desire to change the world, but you let the world flow and you experience all the journey of life has to offer.
• You let go of identifying with outside experiences and inner emotions. 
• You simply are aware you exist and your sense of being is not valued in external sources.
• Understand you were not put on this Earth to suffer.

" In the end, enjoying life's experiences is the only rational thing to do. You're floating in empty space in a universe that goes on forever. If you have to be here, at least be happy and enjoy the experiences. " - Michael A. Singer

He explains,

When your heart is closed, you aren't happy, you feel no energy inside compared to when you're happy, your heart feels open and the rush of happiness overwhelms you. 

"Choose to not close your heart, no matter the circumstances. You can chose to go with it, or let go." 

"Relax your heart when it begins to tighten."

"Have fun with all that life unfolds."

In the Almanack of Naval Ravikant, the author cities Naval loosely, But the idea Naval believes is...

• "These kind of questions have answers, but they are personal ones." 
• "Today, I believe happiness is a default state. It is when you remove the sense of something missing in your life. "
• " Nothing is missing, your mind shuts down and stops running into the past or the future to regret something or to plan something. "
• " Nature has no concept of happiness or unhappiness. Everything is perfect exactly the way it is."
• "Happiness is embracing the present moment and reality of what is, and the way it is.

• " One can be very happy if not caught up in their own head."
• " Every second you have on this planet is very precious, and it's your responsibility to make sure you're happy and interpreting everything in the best way possible."
• "A rational person can find peace by cultivating indifference to things outside of their control." 

So Naval Ravikant believes, " You can very slowly but steadily and methodically improve your happiness baseline, just like you improve your fitness."

Examples he used:

• I have lowered my identity 
• I have lowered the chattering of my mind
• I don't care about things that don't really matter
• I don't get involved in politics 
• I don't hang around unhappy people
• I really value my time here on Earth
• I read philosophy
• I meditate

Michael A Singer from the Untethered Soul says " Work with it. Use affirmations, or do whatever you need to do to stay open." 

" Just question if you're willing to give up your happiness."

" The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step you are taking at this moment. That's all there ever is. " - Eckhart Tolle

Living in the past creates depression and guilt for what already happened. Something that no longer exist in present time effects you in the present. Stop living in the past.

Living in the future creates anxiety about what if's, the future is ultimately out of your control. So, stop living in fear of something that has never happened.

“All negativity is caused by an accumulation of psychological time and denial of the present."

"Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry - all forms of fear - are caused by too much future, and not enough presence."

"Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all formsof nonforgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.”

" As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. " - Eckhart Tolle, the Power of Now

" A happy person isn't someone who's happy all the time. Its someone who effortlessly interprets events in such a way that they don't lose their innate peace" - The Almanack of Naval Ravikant 

“Die to the past every moment. You don't need it. Only refer to it when it is absolutely relevant to the present. Feel the power of this moment and the fullness of Being. Feel your presence." -The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle

“There is nothing more important to true growth than realizing that you are not the voice of the mind - you are the one who hears it.” 

“Eventually you will see that the real cause of problem is not life itself. It's the commotion the mind makes about life that really causes the problems.” 

“To attain true inner freedom, you must be able to objectively watch your problems instead of being lost in them..."

“Everything will be okay as soon as you are okay with everything. And that’s the only time everything will be okay.”

• The Untethered Soul, Michael A. Singer