Elements of Harmony

Most people want to be happy and have peace in their lives. But so many people have trouble doing this. Their lives and their minds are ruled by discord, and this brings sorrow and misery, often causing them to project these things onto others- even when they don’t mean to. Is there anything people can do about this? How can an individual overcome discord and find harmony in life?

All of the world’s religions and spiritual institutions offer steps to attain peace and happiness in life. Unfortunately many times these values and ideals get distorted by individuals, and turn what could be a very useful and beneficial thing for people into an instrument for suffering. This really is an unfortunate occurrence. People who wish to pursue spiritual endeavors must look within themselves and follow a path that works for them. There are many out there, and I would whole-heartedly encourage anyone to pursue such things if they have an interest in doing so. Understanding deep spiritual principles and profound knowledge is far beyond me to teach at the moment. Still, I wish to use my writing- both in and outside this blog- to help people in some way, even if it is only a small and simple way. So it is with this article I hope to discuss different elements that can help a person maintain happiness and peace in their lives. Here are six ideals that can help with this:

Kindness- What happens when we show kindness to someone? How does it make us feel? How does it feel when others show it to us? Making a habit of kindness will help improve the quality of life.

Loyalty- Doesn’t it feel good to give continued support to people, ideas, and principles you believe in? Maintaining loyalty to good things helps increase motivation and enthusiasm.

Generosity-  It has been said that when we give freely to others, we are the ones who gain. Have you ever experienced this? If not, try it out. You’ll be glad you did ;)

Honesty- The truth shall set you free. This doesn’t always mean just making statements that are true. This can be part of it. Living with sincerity is important. Be honest and true to yourself and others. Others will respect you- or at least the best of them will.

Laughter- Having good humor and the ability to laugh is invaluable. So many people lead productive and industrious lives, but lose their smile in the meantime. Don’t let this happen. Think of that one friend who always livens things up and keep in regular contact with that person. Don’t have a friend like that? Find one, or even better become that person yourself.

Friendship- All of the things listed above will foster good and lasting friendship, and this is a good thing. It has been said, “Your company can make it hell for you even in heaven…or heaven for you even in hell.”

I am not a philosopher and I really did not make up any of the statements listed above. These values have been around forever. They transcend time, as well as race and culture and background and income levels. So many people compare themselves to others and judge themselves harshly through superficial means. My advice, for what it’s worth, is- don’t judge yourself at all. Instead, just keep the values listed above in mind. Sometimes even just thinking about them and what they mean can be helpful. Give it a try and see for yourself. You may be surprised at how much nicer life becomes.

As always, thank you for reading.

Mike