One of Seth Godin’s best books is Permission Marketing, a term he uses as a type of advertising that allows the consumer to opt-in to receiving promotional messages.
Happiness could take a page from Godin’s concept because it is available to all of us every day and yet it requires a similar opt-in. We can reject it, remain unhappy, discouraged, without hope or we can choose a more productive path.
Opting-in is the key.
Harold Kushner wrote a book called When All You’ve Ever Wanted Isn’t Enough in which he mentioned the useless pursuit of happiness. Being docile to it – allowing it to happen – is key. Kushner’s compared the chasing happiness to trying to catch a butterfly – the more you chase it, the more it evades you but when you allow it to land, it is yours to enjoy.
Happiness is not an entitlement. It’s a choice.
If this resonates with you, feel free to forward to others.
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