Happiness, or lack of it, is perhaps the most crucial factor in determining our quality of life. Some of us feel happy when we are accepted by those around us. Others believe we can only really achieve happiness when we learn to accept ourselves. Personally, I believe that it is a ‘chicken and egg’ scenario. So which comes first?There is no doubt that most people, even those with the toughest skins, are concerned about how others view them. Being viewed in a negative light can lead to feelings of depression. It can cause people to react in one of two ways; either they retreat from society or they change themselves so as to be accepted. This change can be good, particularly if a person improves; however, if a person changes just to be accepted by others, it may actually increase unhappiness levels. Therefore, to be truly happy, it is important that we also learn how to accept who we are. We must realise that nobody is perfect, but that we should also strive for improvement. This goal of self-improvement will lead to more self-happiness. Ultimately, improved self-happiness will lead to us being accepted by others, increasing the happiness and sense of wellness in both the individual and the group.
To summarise, no man is an island; our sense of happiness depends on how we treat each other. Learning to accept ourselves is the first stage in being accepted by others. Once we can can do this, the path to happiness is made smoother for everyone.
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