Energizing versus happiness

I’m hoping to pay more attention to that which energizes me and less on that which enervates me. That which enlarges me rather than diminishes me—a vantage point I’d once lifted from Winnie:

When stumped by a life choice, choose “enlargement” over happiness. I’m indebted to the Jungian therapist James Hollis for the insight that major personal decisions should be made not by asking, “Will this make me happy?”, but “Will this choice enlarge me or diminish me?”

Happiness is a fickle beast. Sometimes we have it, sometimes we don’t. It can be controlled by emotions.

My job, I believe, is to understand as deeply as I can what enlarges me and what diminishes me (and the things that matter to me), and to know and respect my own thresholds of what energizes me and what enervates me.

I’m going to take this to heart. When I think of forks in the road, and where I’ve appreciated the chosen direction, most if not all the choices I appreciate pushed me and forced me to grow.

It’s too easy to grow bitter, disgruntled, and believe everything is for naught. Maybe that’s the case, maybe nothing will matter.

But I can’t choose to believe that. I must choose to push myself, and know that I can make a difference in someone else’s life, even if it’s only one person at a time.

Via Bix dot Blog.