“Making money is a happiness; making other people happy is a superhappiness” — Muhammad Yunus (Nobel Prize Winner)
When I started my little screen printing business, it was simply a longtime interest that I figured I could give some legitimacy to, by turning it into a more “official” thing. From the start, the apparel I made for friends and family was what made it enjoyable for me and added the bonus of knowing that I was producing things that put a smile on peoples faces. The money aspect of the business wasn’t something I was necesarilly after, but people seem happy to pay for the quality and service that I can provide; so again I see that as added value.
The idea of giving, helps me put my heart and pride into what I’m doing.
It’s ultimately not how much I give, but how much heart I put into giving. It’s important to be willing to give more than you receive in life. You also have to keep your own interests in sight, however. There’s nothing at all wrong with a willingness to help people, If we find ways to manage our priorities. It’s key not to allow ourselves to get burnt out or overwhelmed.
A big influence to my mindset is an upbringing in the church. Jesus was dedicated to a life of service. He was willing to sacrifice his comfort for others. That effort gave those he encountered happiness. That exampled laid the groundwork for how I approach giving of my time and energy.
We all have ups and downs mentally and physically. Sometimes the demands we put on ourselves and the “work/life balance” (as they call it), is sometimes hard to manage.
Work by nature isn’t always going to cheer us up or make us happy. It is WORK after all, right? We’re not always going to get something back when we give, that would be way too opportunistic. Our level of commitment would no doubt suffer over time if it was always easy. This isn’t Sir Isaac Newton’s 3rd law of physics that we’re dealing with. Most likely there won’t be an equal and opposite reaction and we need to be OK with that. The key is to find an approach that fits our individual style. When we do… the more we give, the more we will gain in purpose. You will realize the true meaning of wha’s taking place and with that comes happiness. At least that’s the case for me.
They say money can’t buy happiness and to an extent that is very true in the longrun. However, I choose to believe happiness… Superhappiness can be attained if we take some time to assess the level of joy we can bring to others. I’m here for it and want to make all the happy I can!