To most people it’s pretty much the same like pride and ego, lazy and uninspired, lose and loose etc. You must have not graduated the 5th grade to make that mistake. I shouldn’t be dissing anyone’s English. I’m not scholar myself.
So what’s the difference? Happiness is lasting. It’s like breathing and seeing. It’s not something that’s there one day and not the next. You don’t have to go out of your way to maintain it.
Excitement on the other hand is a temporary feeling like a high. You’ve probably heard someone before say something like, “I’m moving into my new place today. I’m so happy!” The two words are used so interchangeably without the slightest thought. Here’s another one, “I’ll be happy when I get my raise.” What happens when you get that raise? You’re happy for a while until you want another raise or until the high of the raise wears off. Everyone knows this. Never satisfied and wanting more yet we keep chasing. As a society we’ve basically decided that happiness is temporary and if you want any chance at happiness you have to keep chasing it. If you want the same results you do the same thing. The result at best will be a temporary high like the feeling after inhaling a big line of cocaine. You feel on top of the world and then you don’t.
The house you always wanted to own is chasing a high. The feeling of great admiration from all your peers and family is a high. Eating that donut is for a high. Anything that doesn’t last is not happiness it’s a high it’s excitement.
What’s happniness? To be in a mental state where life never gets you down. Where you’re not continuously searching to make your life “better.” No hate and no anger but peace. When it’s all good in the hood. In my view, it’s ok to ride the roller coaster of life but don’t chase it like it’s the meaning of life. If you’re high, be thankful and enjoy it but don’t hold on to it.
I’d be telling you a lie if I said I am always in the state of happiness but I feel myself getting there day by day. I’ve come a long way even from 6 months ago. Nothing would have even begun to happen if I didn’t lose all the people and the things I identified myself with the most. I had to lose everything not just some things. In order to rebuild you must first tear down. Its only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.
Like this:
Tags: excitement, happiness, mindfulness, peace, random, spiritual enlightenment
Cool post!
Do agree with you!