There is a Difference between Being Happy and Being Distracted from Sadness

Date: 2022, April 8. Friday. @zheanders

Hello everyone! How are you? I hope you're all doing fine! I just woke up and guess what, I'd decided to share with you an article. I hope you'll enjoy it!

Maybe you'd often wonder whether you're happy or distracted from sadness. Am I right? Oh I know you’re thinking about that now. You know what? I've been down in the dumps for a while now, and this week I realized something important: there's a difference between being happy, and being too distracted to be sad.

We all know those people who are happy no matter what the circumstances. They seem to remain content, forever joyful, and without a care in the world. But then there are those of us who tend to live with a more muted disposition. For whatever reason, even if we're happy about our surroundings, we find it challenging to remain fully immersed in happiness. Yes, being happy and being distracted from sadness don’t mean and feel the same.

Sometimes, it's easy to mistake happiness for distraction. Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking that if we're distracted, we'll never have to feel the pain again. But there's a difference between being happy and being distracted. To be distracted is to run towards something, to think of the next thing, or simply to numb ourselves from feeling. True happiness is when we are peaceful, when we accept what is, when we let go of wanting anything different than what is happening in this very moment.

Sylvester Stallone said, "Happiness is like a kiss…you must share it to enjoy it." Truer words have never been spoken. What you think is going to make you happy just won't do the trick. At least not forever. Sure, that new shirt might sound great right now, but if you're only buying it because you've had a bad day and need something to distract yourself from your problems – how long will it actually make you happy?

We’re all in search of happiness, yes I also feel that way, but it can be reallly hard to pin it down. One thing that’s easy to understand is the idea that being happy is not the same as being distracted from sadness. When you think about it, most of life is just distracting yourself from sadness and pain. We live in an age where we are constantly faced with ways to distract ourselves: video games, social media, all kinds of online content, and even just reading the news. But eventually all those distractions can become kind of… exhausting. We're tired of scrolling through our feeds, tired of playing games, tired of watching shows we don't even care about in order to kill time. So often we do what we can to make ourselves feel better, whether it's eating some ice cream or watching a funny movie—anything to take your mind off the pain and suffering that seems so inescapable.

But there is a difference between feeling happy—even if only for a moment—and being distracted from sadness. I think this concept is incredibly important, especially considering how often people use distractions like drugs and alcohol to escape their sadness. If you really want to be happy, you have to figure out how to do it without using substances or other distractions that might hurt you more in the long run.

I'm not saying that the two are mutually exclusive, or even that they're necessarily at odds. I am saying that they're not the same thing. A lot of times people say, "I'm so happy!" And then you find out that what they really mean is, "I'm distracted from sadness." It's okay to not be happy! It's okay to be sad! The more we can admit what we're feeling, the better off we are. It helps us connect with people and it helps us get back to happiness faster.

There's nothing wrong with distracting ourselves from our pain by engaging in something fun. Sometimes it can help us cope. When we're dealing with something really difficult—like the death of a loved one, or a diagnosis we weren't expecting—it can be hard to just sit with that pain and let ourselves feel it. But sometimes those things are not necessary. As much as I want to avoid feeling the sadness when a friend dies, if I don't let myself feel it, then I won't truly mourn them. I won't learn how to live without them here.

I know it's hard to be honest about sadness when you feel like everyone around you is only posting about happiness. But know this: That's just social media. That's not real life. In real life, everyone has ups and downs and in-betweens. Talk to your friends, talk to your family, talk to a therapist if you need one—and remember that all feelings are allowed!

It's not always about trying to cheer yourself up. Sometimes we have to make an effort to step away from whatever is distracting us so we can work through what happened, no matter how painful that might be.

That's all for today! Thank you and have a good day everyone! Keep safe always!

Lead image edited in canva

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