Pleasure versus Joy
Our life is a result of the choices we make. When we look around in the world and observe people, we notice most people go after immediate pleasures for instant happiness which often does not endure for long. They indulge in short-term pleasures and in due course experience long-term discomfort in their life. Most of us forget that the familiar adage: short term gain = long term pain, holds true when it comes to life. Anytime we take a shortcut we may get instant results but the pain we experience later is very disturbing.
Take relationships also in this context. People want love instantly, but having a loving relationship is a process. It requires attention, energy, and care. It’s also a two-way street. Just like the plant requires day-to-day water, manure, and sunlight, the same goes for maintaining relationships, which requires day-to-day nurturing. Anyone who wants a healthy relationship between self and one’s partner needs to work on it consistently.
The reason why short term pleasure is so dangerous is because it trains us to chase constant hits of dopamine. For instance, buying a new pair of sunglasses can trigger a dopamine hit, and a temporary satisfaction. However, that dopamine doesn’t last. So we want it again. And what do we do We repeat the behaviour that made us feel that way the first time around, and we end up with entire rooms full of sunglasses. Chasing short term happiness turns us into happiness junkies just looking for that next dopamine hit.
When we live for only today, controlled by the desires and demands of our senses, we follow the path of pleasure. On this path, we are blinded by ignorance, and cannot see our true nature, which is divine and eternal. Giving in to our senses gives us temporary pleasures but it consumes our energy and ultimately leaves us feeling depleted and unfulfilled. No matter how many times we give in to our senses, they are never sated, craving more each time. Pleasure traps us in a vicious, never-ending cycle of births and deaths.
The path of goodness or joy is a way out of the maze of worldly charms and temptations. It is based on knowledge. It means having the right understanding about the true purpose and meaning of life, and knowing that attaining such understanding requires commitment. We need to discipline our mind and senses, and live a balanced lifestyle: eat right, exercise regularly, sleep and wake on time, promote harmony and peace in our relationships, and do our spiritual practices daily. Life is not about shortcuts. Life is about taking the long route consistently with hard work and perseverance. It may be painful and disquieting at the beginning but you will undoubtedly find peace and high divinity at the end. To tread the path of joy, set a goal, however, small at first and honour it no matter what. Each time you exert effort aligned with your higher intentions, you are practicing joy — whether choosing to be tolerant of someone who has criticised you, or refraining from going out to party so you can get up and meditate in the morning. Indulge in vision book reading, setting up your dreams and goals, being in gratitude, meditating and planning your day on a daily one to one basis. It will lead your life towards achieving a disciplined yet joyful life with long-term dividends in the long run. This path is initially harder and seemingly less enjoyable but its effects are beneficial and long-lasting. Long term joy leads us inward to the core of our being — to true happiness and peace.
The writer is a life and business coach