EP 480: Its All Bout Creating the Conditions for Happiness

Over the weekend, in my Learning to Surf Meditation group, a discussion arose about the perils of chasing happiness. And while I didn’t agree entirely that happiness is not something we should cultivate for its own benefits, I did see some value in being cautious about what is known as Toxic Positivity. In today’s episode, I talk about the difference between toxic positivity - the avoidance of negative emotions - and the healthy drive towards happiness that is shared by all living beings: In my opinion, the term that resolves this difference and confusion is: the conditions for happiness. If we can look at it in this way, we acknowledge that we will have negative emotions that are helpful and necessary in a healthy human experience while keeping an eye on this innate drive to be happy and well. So instead of trying to ‘be happy’, which could cause some shame in the face of any emotions besides happiness, perhaps we could say ‘work to create the conditions for happiness’ and release ourselves from this misplaced shame. If you have any questions about this vital topic, please email me or consider booking a no-cost phone consultation by clicking here: https://calendly.com/artburns/45-min-coaching-session And if you’d like to join my 6 Week Introduction to Mindfulness course that starts this evening, click here: https://www.meetup.com/learning-to-surf-talks-on-buddhism-meditation-mindfulness/events/277036596/ To join our group meditation and discussion this Wednesday, here’s your link: https://www.meetup.com/learning-to-surf-talks-on-buddhism-meditation-mindfulness/events/vhrtfsyccgbkb/ And to become a patron of my work and get some nifty perks, like recordings of the 6 week course plus a weekly meetup where I can personally answer your questions, click here: https://www.patreon.com/artburns