The Discovery and Pursuit of Enjoyment 3

3. Why Do I Feel This Way, Think This Way, or Act This Way?

　Many people believe that the key to solving current problems is to find a cause outside themselves and eliminate it. When someone has a headache and the doctor diagnoses a cold, they take medicine. In work, to ensure success, they might adopt methods that worked for them in the past or use theories that have brought others success, or they might develop strategies based on trends and analyses to avoid failure. In human relationships, people might try to change others’ opinions through persuasion or negotiation, or they might guide interactions to their own advantage. All of this might seem normal and common. This isn’t to say that influencing things outside oneself is wrong or something that shouldn’t be done. Without action, nothing changes. Without speaking up, no one understands. There’s nothing inherently wrong with influencing things outside oneself.

　What I want to convey is the belief that finding the cause only within one’s own heart and discovering it there is the way to change everything, including oneself. When you have a headache, the first step is to recognize that your mind has been burdened with stress so severe that it has weakened your immune system. Then, it’s about facing the fact that you have continually chosen stressful actions that outweigh your ability to relieve stress and then choosing actions that bring you joy. At work, it’s about finding your true feelings and pursuing actions that make the work more enjoyable. In human relationships, it’s about finding your true feelings and pursuing actions that make interactions with others more enjoyable. The definition of “enjoyment” here is the same as in the previous section.

　There are unpleasant events like illness, work issues, and relationship troubles that, if possible, we’d prefer to avoid. To do so, it’s crucial to routinely identify the reasons behind your emotions, thoughts, and actions within your heart. Why did I feel irritated? Why do I think that’s wrong? Why did I choose that action?