Carol Moehrle
Rules for happiness: something to do, someone to love, something to hope for.
—Immanuel Kant
Rules—all around us we have rules. One way. Do not enter. Stop. Following rules begins when we are very young. Our parents had rules for the home and family. These rules reminded us of acceptable behavior, like "No talking in church." Schools have rules for children to aid in learning, like "Raise your hand before you speak." The workplace has rules for start times and expected professional behavior.
We are surrounded by rules, often telling us what not to do in our lives. I was captivated by this quote from Immanuel Kant. I had never considered that happiness might have rules as well. When you sit and ponder these words, they are so simple, I wondered if they could really be true.
WE often think if happiness as connected to other people, our lifestyle, or things. However, when we truly look at happiness, we see that Kant summarizes it well. If we have something meaningful to do, and if we have someone to love, and something to hope for or look forward to, we find an inner peace that leads to a calm, contented happiness.
What rules do you follow for happiness? Consider adding these simple thoughts to your personal rule book.
b-Resilient