Sunday, June 7, 2015

Smoking vs Exercising - Difference between "feeling good" and "being happy"

Smoking vs Exercising

Do not get yourself confused with the difference between "feeling good" and "being happy".

Many people feel good smoking, but in actuality they are not happy. Many people who exercise don't feel good while doing it but they are happy because they know that this is a beneficial activity.

I believe we all aim to have a happy life. However, happiness can be tricky which might need time & effort. Instead of looking for happiness, people tend to indulge in things that make them "feel good". "Feeling good" is superficial, e.g. buying an expensive designer handbag might make you "feel good"to show it off. But it doesn't create lasting happiness.

It's not that we cannot do things to make ourselves feel good. But we shouldn't indulge ourselves to escape from the fact that we are not happy. If we are not happy with our lives, we need to look within ourselves and find out the root cause of the unhappiness. 

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Striving for Meaning in Life - Reasons Why We Should Strive to Find Meaning in Our Lives

Striving for Meaning in Life -  Reasons Why We Should Strive to Find Meaning in Our Lives

Below is an except of an article from The Straits Times.

Many people who are saddened or disquieted by a nagging sense that life in general, or their own lives in particular, lack meaning. The Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl believed that a sense of meaning and purpose is essential to mental well-being. 

His experiences in the Nazi concentration camps during World War II, along with his professional dealings with scores of depressed and suicidal men and women, convinced him that without a deeply felt sense of purpose, even the most comfortable lives can feel sad and empty. 

But if there exists such a sense of purpose, even the most outwardly wretched lives can feel worthwhile.

- Gary Hayden article in the The Straits Times