The secret to happiness

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

Mahatma Gandhi

 Aren’t we all just trying to find ourselves? We throw our entire being into the system laid out in front of us. Nursery, middle school, high school, university a good job, marriage, a family. Some of you may get lucky along the way and find yourself early on in life, others may still be swimming in the deep end on a dark, cold night wondering what direction to go.

 Let me tell you one of the easiest ways to do that is by helping and serving others, animals and plants included, of course.

 In an article by Jenny Santi titled, The Secret to Happiness is Helping others. Santi explores the concept of ‘serving others’ which has been found in centuries worth of literature and doctrines around the world. Santi goes on to say;

“There is a Chinese saying that goes: “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” For centuries, the greatest thinkers have suggested the same thing: Happiness is found in helping others”

 For it is in giving that we receive — Saint Francis of Assisi

The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity — Leo Tolstoy

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give — Winston Churchill

Making money is happiness; making other people happy is a super happiness — Nobel Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus

Giving back is as good for you as it is for those you are helping because giving gives you purpose. When you have a purpose-driven life, you’re a happier person — Goldie Hawn” ( Santi, Times, 2021) 

On top of that so many different studies and scientific research support the notion that it is in serving others that we feel complete, that is the simple secret to happiness. But remember to give yourself a lot of love and help on the way too.