The Atma Jyoti Blog

The fourth post in the series “Creating Your Happiness” by Paramhansa Yogananda

Happiness depends to some extent upon external conditions, but chiefly upon conditions of the inner mind. In order to be happy, one must have good health, an efficient mind, a prosperous life, the right work and, above all, an all-round all accomplishing wisdom. A man cannot be happy just by holding the inner calm, while completely ignoring the struggle for existence and the effort for success. Even Jesus had to eat and clothe Himself.

Then again, without internal happiness, one may find oneself a prisoner of worries in a rich castle. Happiness is not dependent upon success and wealth alone, but real happiness depends upon struggling against the failure, difficulties, and problems of life with an acquired attitude of unshakable internal happiness. To be unhappy in trying to find the hard-to-acquire happiness defeats its own end. Happiness comes by being internally happy first, at all times, while struggling your utmost to uproot the causes of unhappiness.

The habit of preserving an internal happy attitude of mind should have been started when you were very young, but never mind, it is not too late to begin now. From today on, make up your mind that when you meet your trying relatives, when you come in contact with your overbearing office boss, and when you contact your enemies and the trials of life, that you will try to retain your internal calmness and happiness under all circumstances.

If you persevere in carrying out this resolution in your daily actions, and do not forget after a few days of trial, you will find that internal serenity and happiness depend upon a right mental habit and upon resolving to be happy in spite of everything, but remember, when you learn to be happy at all times do not allow this independent mental attitude of inner happiness to make you lazy, and do not ignore the material causes which stand in the way of your happiness. Strive to remove them and go through all the activities of life with this calm happy attitude of mind.

More by Paramhansa Yogananda from the series “Creating Your Happiness”:

• Creating Your Happiness – Paramhansa Yogananda
• Happiness Is in the Mind
• Discover Your Soul as Happiness Itself

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