What is happiness? Modern society would have you believe that it magically appears when we lose 10 pounds, achieve that promotion, or marry an attractive banker. Maybe you'll experience it when you finally slide into the convertible car seat you want. Or maybe it happens when you can hold a headstand away from the wall. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayWhen we attribute our happiness to external sources, often projecting ourselves into the future, we miss the opportunity to experience happiness in the present moment. After all, we can never control what happens from here on out... the only thing that is certain is this very moment. By living in the future (or the past), we miss the opportunity to be grateful for what we have in this moment... a capable, functioning body that works, that breathes, that has the ability to hug, kiss, laugh, cry, express yourself through movement. And that, my friend, is truly a miracle when so many people don't have that freedom. Gratitude is one part. But how do you experience happiness when things are actually not so rosy right now? What if life had thrown something really crappy at us and we were struggling to be “happy.” Happiness is a state of mind, not an event or object. A new dress doesn't make you happy, getting a new job doesn't make you happy. Think about it… we all know someone who seems to be happy even when they don't have much money, or their car breaks down, or they face some form of adversity. These people somehow accept that life isn't always sunshine and rainbows... maybe they even find the silver lining in the cloud. They are happier because they understand that life is full of ups and downs... this is the duality of all life: yin and yang, light and dark, birth and death, and something that is understood on a deep level by all animals . The problem for us humans is that we are socially conditioned to want everything to be nice and comfortable all the time. For me it helps to understand what this wanting to be "comfortable" means. As humans we have created so many distractions to cure ourselves of the natural and inevitable difficulties of life. We get lost in glossy magazines that sell idealistic images of what a "happy life" should be like, we drown in reality TV shows and heavily filtered Instagram accounts that often don't represent reality at all. We become addicted to alcohol or drugs or seek happiness in the arms of other people. Today I read an amazing quote from Victoria Eckerson that says "are you feeling a little shaken, maybe agitated, maybe scared and doubtful and completely completely, wildly terrified? Good. Keep it up." We spend our entire lives running from the things that challenge us when in reality it is the very things that make us feel uncomfortable that provide the greatest opportunity to learn about ourselves and our patterns. We think that if only that person changed, or if this situation didn't happen then we would be happy. I hate to tell you this, but you will never be able to control the outside world. You can't change the weirdness of your partner's control, the fact that the dog barks during your meditation. You can't change the neighbors listening to music on Sunday mornings or the fact that you lost your job this week. When things happen in life that push your buttons or challenge you, you have two choices: resist and run or lean in and listen. What is the lesson? How can I turn this into an opportunity to live in harmony with the world, to let go of my preconceptions and judgments? Where am I focusing my energy? So next time a.