Be Your Own Dalia Lama

Visiting the Santa Fe ski area years ago, someone asked the Dalai Lama about the meaning of life. He chuckled in his delightful way and said that’s easy. The harder question is: what actually makes us happy.

In light of the persistently recurring, often nonsensical idea of New Year’s resolutions, how about this one: make a personal study of what actually makes you happy. Take no one’s word for it, but see for yourself. If more exercise makes you happy, how much and how often? Is there a limit? If reducing your news intake helps, to what extent? How much socializing, meditating, dancing, tv watching, movie going, food and drink, reading etc.? Or do these things actually make little difference?

Try and see. Be your own Dalai Lama in answering the more difficult question.