If you are able to center your attention on all the beautiful aspects that are already to be found in your life, you will become a much more grateful person. The ability to draw happiness from the little things in life also has a lot to do with gratitude. It also shifts our attention far away from the present moment and all the beautiful joys that can be found in it. Similarly, it can result in greater levels of discontent when we are not able to attain what we desire.
It is a way of thinking that makes it quite difficult to be quite happy in the present moment. This kind of attitude focuses our attention on the things we do not have and tricks us into believing that by adding these things to our lives, happiness will emerge. And once we’ve accomplished a certain goal that promised great happiness, we are already pursuing the next one. The pursuit of happiness makes us strive for more all the time. In falsely assuming that the accomplishment of certain goals (wealth, fame, status, power, etc.) will add great amounts of happiness to our lives, we give away our control over our happiness. In fact, we often make our happiness dependent on the outcome of certain events.
Instead of being able to experience happiness in this very moment, we are – more often than not – postponing our happiness. The more simple pleasures you discover in your life, the happier you’ll get.
