The ultimate source of happiness is not money and power, but warm-heartedness.

The ultimate source of happiness is not money and power, but warm-heartedness. – Dalai Lama

Is it his warm heart, or his power and money that brings this dog satisfaction and happiness?

What does that mean?
How happy are powerful people? How many have had no regrets on their death beds? How many rich people spend more time getting more, or protecting what they have, than they spend enjoying it? How many of them could actually be called happy by any reasonable definition of the word? They may have their moments, but are they truly happy?

Now think of the happiest people you know. How many of them are rich or powerful, and compare them to the number who are warm-hearted. I know very few powerful or rich people, so I’m no expert, but I know a lot of warm-hearted ones, and they’re almost universally happy.

Now, the important part. How difficult is it to become powerful? How difficult is it to become rich? How difficult is it to become warm-hearted? I know which path seems easiest to me. And I know which I believe will bring the most happiness. Which path have you chosen for your life?

Why is warm-heartedness important?  
Let’s start this from the opposite direction, shall we? Take a moment and think about someone who is cold-hearted. Does that immediately bring to mind visions of happiness? Or does it sound like a quick path to a bitter and unpleasant existence?

Now think about someone who is warm-hearted. How does that differ from the thoughts you had of a cold-hearted person? Which path do you think is the quickest and easiest route to happiness? If it were up to you, which would you rather be, warm-hearted or cold-hearted?

If it isn’t up to you, who is it up to? That, in case you were wondering, was a rhetorical question. Of course it’s up to you. No one else can make that decision. Others can influence you, but in the end it’s your choice. Which path will you choose? I bet you can guess what my recommendation is.

Where can I apply this in my life?
Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t have anything against rich or powerful people, so long as they came by it honestly. And I don’t think that happiness is beyond their grasp. I simply believe that without being warm-hearted, they are going to have more trouble finding happiness than will the warm-hearted people.

And there is no doubt that money and power can get you bursts of happiness, in the form of favors or shiny toys. But how long does the happiness last? On the other hand, warm-heartedness leaves you feeling good about yourself, and that feeling lasts for hours or even days.

While I have enough money to get the occasional bauble, and know a few people well enough to get slightly better treatment from time to time, the happiness that I get from those things don’t last the way happiness from helping others and being warm-hearted lasts.

I still get warm and happy feelings when I think about the help I was able to provide after Hurricane Katrina, and the work I did with Habitat for Humanity. Those are memories that will always bring me happiness. My shiny new laptop is nice, but it is just another tool, and while I like it, it isn’t a source of happiness anymore.

Take a moment and consider some of the things in your life. What have you purchased that has given you happiness? How many of those things still give you happiness? Of the things that do give happiness, is it the object, or a memory attached to the object? Is that really the same?

What about power? Do you have some? Has it ever given you more than a brief kick to use your power? Those times when it has, was it the exercise of power, or the people you helped with the use of your power? If you have been able to get a favor from a powerful person, how long did the happiness last? Again, if it lasted, was it because of the power, or the warm-heartedness of the person who helped you?

Are you seeing the difference in your own life? Again, I don’t want to disparage anyone from making money or pursuing power. I just hope you remember where happiness comes from. It comes from within yourself, and only from there. The easiest way to access it, in my opinion, is by being warm-hearted.

Ultimately, your path is yours to chose. No matter what path you take, or how many times you change your path, try to remember to be warm-hearted, and to show it by helping others. The rewards, in my opinion, are the greatest treasure you could experience.

From: Twitter, From: Twitter, @DalaiLama
confirmed at : it’s from his own feed…
Photo by istolethetv