Happiness Versus Pleasure

Written by Margaret Paul, Ph.D.


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Title: Happiness Versus Pleasure Author: Margaret Paul, Ph.D. E-mail: mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com Copyright: © 2004 by Margaret Paul URL: http://www.innerbonding.com Word Count: 719 Category: Personal Development

Happiness Versus Pleasure By Margaret Paul, Ph.D.

We are a pleasure seeking society. Most of us spend our energy seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. We hope that by doing this, we will feel happy. Yet deep, abiding happiness and joy elude so many people.

There is a huge difference between happiness and pleasure. Pleasure is a momentary feeling that comes from something external – a good meal, our stock going up, making love, and so on. Pleasure has to do withrepparttar 129867 positive experiences of our senses, and with good things happening. Pleasurable experiences can give us momentary feelings of happiness, but this happiness does not last long because it is dependent upon external events and experiences. We have to keep on havingrepparttar 129868 good experiences – more food, more drugs or alcohol, more money, more sex, more things – in order to feel pleasure. As a result, many people become addicted to these external experiences, needing more and more to feel a short-lived feeling of happiness.

Thomas sought my counseling services because he “had everything” – his own successful business, a lovely wife and children, a beautiful home, and time to enjoy life. Yet he was not happy. While he had momentary feelings of happiness while watching a ball game or socializing with his friends, he also felt anxious and depressed much ofrepparttar 129869 time. In fact,repparttar 129870 anxiety had become so bad that he was having almost constant stomach pain, which his doctor told him was from stress.

As we worked together, it became apparent that Thomas’s main desire in life was to have control over people and events. He wanted others to do things his way and to believerepparttar 129871 way he believed. He was frequently judgmental with his employees, wife, children and friends, believing that he was right and they were wrong and it was his job to straighten them out with his judgment and criticism. His energy would become hard and tough and he would be like a steamroller in his efforts to get his point across and get others to do things his way. When it worked and others gave in, Thomas felt a momentary pang of pleasure. Butrepparttar 129872 pain in his stomach kept getting worse and worse, which is why he decided to consult with me.

Creative Problem-Solving: Following Your Stream of Consciousness

Written by Patti Prague


You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long asrepparttar bylines are included andrepparttar 129864 resource box is left unchanged. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

Creative Problem-Solving: Following Your Stream of Consciousness Copyright 2004 Patti Prague Journal Genie, The Website That Talks Back http://www.journalgenie.com

Creative Problem-Solving: Following Your Stream of Consciousness

Having trouble finding a solution to a nagging problem? Try a well-known journaling technique called stream of consciousness--you may be surprised atrepparttar 129865 creative messages you receive from your inner self.

Takerepparttar 129866 case of Shana, an online journaler who had a problematic relationship with a co-worker. When Shana allowed herselfrepparttar 129867 “scary” experience of stream of consciousness journaling, she quickly realized her intensely emotional reaction torepparttar 129868 co-worker was, in fact, related to a similar situation with an ex-spouse. In both situations Shana felt like a doormat--but until her journaling, she didn’t realizerepparttar 129869 two were connected.

Stream of consciousness is a style of writing that is uninterrupted, unedited, and unstructured. Typically, a journaler approachesrepparttar 129870 blank page without intention--then simply waits for something to come. However, when used as a problem-solving technique, approach your journaling with a specific intention, knowing that whatever comes out of your subconscious will contain clues to a solution.

Once you begin writing, don’t try to make sense of it—just keep writing, ignoring any questions or comments coming from your mind. Remember, this isn’t a mental or literary exercise, but rather an opportunity to give voice torepparttar 129871 inner you. No matter how sillyrepparttar 129872 words seem, just keeping writing. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation or grammar. Set a 10 minute timer and write untilrepparttar 129873 10 minutes are up. If your mind goes blank, just write something like, my mind is blank, my mind is blank, and keep writing until something else comes into your consciousness.

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