HAPPINESS VS.
INSPIRATIONINSPIRATION IS EASY
Choosing Happiness is Hard, but Choosing Inspiration is Easy
When I hear the “happiness is a choice” being shouted from the mountain tops, I just end wanting to shout back, “what about the rest of us down here?” I wish I could live by this mantra and just “choose” happiness, but I haven’t figured out how to flip that happiness switch that easily. That’s when I turn to inspiration!
INSPIRATION IS ACTIONABLE WITH IMMEDIATE BENEFITS
Elusive vs. Actionable
The path to the happiness we’ve come to know, expect and accept is elusive, while the path to inspiration is immediate. Getting happy isn’t instantaneous. Sometimes it’s a lot of work. Sometimes it’s a lot of waiting or infinite waiting, or when we get happy, it’s not what we expected. Inspiration, on the other hand, is actionable. You can get inspired intentionally anytime, anywhere!
Difficult vs. Easy to Influence
When happiness is hinged on people, events or circumstances out of our control, we have very little influence over what “makes” us happy. But it’s easy to influence feeling inspired, which leads us to the true happiness we desire and deserve! Even when we have a flood of competing priorities, we can choose to let simple daily activities inspire us by indulging in their inspiring qualities.
Circumstantial vs. Intentional
Why wait for the right circumstances to live the life you hope will make you happy when you can bring intention into any moment and indulge in inspiration? Don’t settle for being happy when, and instead be inspired now!
INSPIRATION IS LIVING & LOVING LIFE IN THE PRESENT
Unrealistic Destination vs. Realistic Experience
When we start thinking about the “I’ll be happy when’s,” which inherently assume that once we become “happy,” the struggle is over. We want to believe we’ll arrive at our destination with a one way ticket and metaphorically sip margaritas in the sun indefinitely. But we’re holding our happiness hostage in the meantime!
Avoiding Reality vs. Experiencing Reality at its Best
Happiness is a break from our lives, but taking a break is not recharging. Our souls are not quenched by distractions or an escape from life’s trials. We want to enjoy connecting and fully experience the connected moments that make us feel alive. With inspiration, we can instead dive into the present, living and loving every inspired moment, experiencing reality at it’s best.
INSPIRATION IS FEELING TRULY ALIVE
How it Feels: Calming vs. Energizing
Sometimes we want to feel light and easy, especially when we need a break from life’s daily challenges. Unfortunately, this type of feeling is exactly that: a break from life at it’s worst, when instead we can enjoy the feeling of living life at it’s best.
INSPIRATION CREATES POSITIVE & RECHARGING ENERGY
Avoiding Negative Stimulus vs. Enjoying Positive Stimulus
Stimulus has a bad reputation these days. We’re overstimulated and drained from our phone dings and overflowing inboxes. Sometimes we forget that stimulus can also be positive and recharging!
Stagnant Negative Energy vs. Recharging Positive Energy
The pursuit of happiness often seeks to ignore stored stagnant, negative energy, while inspiration elicits a positive energy flow powerful enough to cleanse stagnation and replacing dormant negative energy.
INSPIRATION CONNECTS US TO PURPOSE
What vs. Why
HAPPINESS It’s hard to choose happiness INSPIRATION It’s easy to get inspired Some of us think if we just had more money, then we would be happy. If we just looked a certain way or met the partner of our dreams, then we would be happy. And then what? “Happily...
INSPIRATION IS FULFILLING
Ending in Disappointment vs. Fulfillment
When we’re happy, we don’t want it to end. Of course we don’t! But this sets us up for disappointment. Inspiration, on the other hand, has a built-in end, so your expectations are set accurately from the beginning.
Loaded With vs. Free of Expectations
Expectations are based on the future, which we can’t control, and yet we can’t help but hope to be the exception. We put expectations on happiness that often ensure we later experience disappointment, but we don’t have to expect anything from inspiration because inspiration is always good enough exactly as it is.
INSPIRATION IS AUTHENTIC
Happiness Looks Outside vs. Inspiration Starts Within
HAPPINESS Potentially rooted in external factors or people INSPIRATION Rooted in our true selves We might look outside ourselves for sources of happiness. We may even be partially successful at obtaining the happiness we've come to know, expect and accept,...
Enticing vs. Unnecessary to Fake
We either are or aren’t inspired. We’re not a little inspired or “kinda” inspired. We are inspired, uninspired, or the topic or experience is irrelevant to us. But happiness? We can be a little happy or a lot happy, but there isn’t a definitive threshold of being happy or not being happy. It’s easy to fake or lie about being happy. Being inspired is concrete. That’s why it’s so easy to jump into it, even for a moment, and really feel it and mean it.
INSPIRATION IS WORRY-FREE
Happiness Evokes Worrying and Self-Judgment; Inspiration Doesn’t
HAPPINESS Simulates worry and self-judgment INSPIRATION Does not induce worry or self-judgment Remember that popular 80's song, "Don't Worry, Be Happy?" While a charmingly catchy tune, the irony in today's world is as laughable as ever! We worry about...
Thinking About Living vs. Feeling Alive
HAPPINESS The voice narrating our every thought is in full effect INSPIRATION The voice narrating our every thought has no role Inspiration quiets the voice. The voice is the chatter we hear that narrates every aspect of our day and conversationally shares the...
Stimulates Controlling Behavior vs. Doesn’t
HAPPINESS Stimulates controlling behavior to ensure happiness INSPIRATION Controlling behavior is irrelevant Sometimes, we want to “make” others happy to get what we think we need to feel happy. Making other people happy starts with the assumed feelings, needs...
INSPIRATION IS IMMUNE TO ADVERSITY
Vulnerable vs. Immune to Adversity
HAPPINESS Potentially vulnerable when facing adversity INSPIRATIONImmune to adversity Happiness is too easily shaken when someone criticize us. If we share happy news and someone responds critically or with judgment, we can't help but to feel discouraged, and...
Want more inspiration? Happiness is Overrated - Live the Inspired Life is your friend along your journey to living your happiest life through inspiration!