04 May Happiness – keeping it real
I have, of late, heard and read several stories about those affected by the global financial crisis struggling to manage; in fact, some seem to be in denial, continuing to put on their suit in the morning, head to the train station and into the office, pretending to all around (and maybe even to themselves) that nothing’s changed.
When I first read about this I thought about how sad it was and about how these difficult economic circumstances are leading to some unusual behaviours and responses; but then I wondered whether such behaviour was, in fact, so unusual.
Although the aforementioned example might be extreme, how many of us “put on a suit” in the morning and pretend to be something we’re not? How many of us go through life trying to act out something we’re not? How many of us really are comfortable with who and what we are?
I can’t help but think, at a more general level, that such incongruities and inconsistencies are the cause of much unhappiness; in contrast, I know from my clinical psychology and coaching experience that the happiest and most successful among us are the ones who know exactly who they are, what they want to achieve and be, and how they’re going to live their lives.
Do you know this about yourself? If not, what do you need to do to live an authentic life that’s more in harmony with who and what you really are.
In some situations you can fake it until you make it; but at other times, this approach can just lead to misery and failure.