Mindset story: A wise man’s seminar on what you are doing wrong when pursuing happiness

There was once a wise man who was known far and wide for helping people find happiness and overcome the burdens of their daily lives. He had a special gift for explaining complex ideas in simple ways, and people from all over would travel great distances to hear him speak. One day, the wise man decided to hold a special seminar in a large town. He invited everyone to come and promised that they would leave with a better understanding of how to deal with their worries and find joy in their lives. The day of the seminar arrived. The room was packed. Men, women, and even children filled the seats, all eager to learn from the wise man. Some looked tired from their troubles, others appeared hopeful, and a few seemed skeptical. The wise man stood in front of the crowd. With a warm smile on his face, he began speaking. “Welcome, my friends. Today, I will share with you something that could change your life.” The room grew quiet. Everyone listened carefully. The wise man continued, “But first, let me tell you a joke.”

He paused, took a breath, and told a very funny joke. It was so clever and amusing that the entire crowd burst into laughter. People clapped their hands, and some had tears in their eyes from laughing so hard. After a few moments, the wise man raised his hand to quiet the crowd. “That was funny, wasn’t it?” he asked. Everyone nodded eagerly. Then, to their surprise, he told the same joke again. Some people smiled, and a few chuckled lightly, but it was nowhere near as loud as the first time. The wise man raised his hand again. “Still a bit funny, right?” The crowd nodded, though a little less enthusiastically this time. Then, he told the joke a third time. This time, no one laughed. People started looking at each other, whispering. Some looked confused, others annoyed. A few in the back even muttered, “Why is he wasting our time?” The wise man noticed the change in the crowd. He waited until the murmurs quieted down. Then he spoke, his voice calm but firm. “You laughed the first time because it was new and funny. You smiled the second time because you remembered how funny it was. But by the third time, you felt it was no longer funny.” The crowd nodded. Some looked embarrassed for their earlier comments.

The wise man stepped forward and continued, “If you cannot laugh at the same joke over and over, why do you cry over the same problem again and again?” The room fell into deep silence. The crowd looked at the wise man, and then at each other. They had not expected such a simple but powerful message. A woman in the front row whispered, “I think about my husband’s words every day. He hurt me years ago, but I still cry about it. I keep reliving that pain.” A young man added, “I lost my job last year, and I still wake up every day feeling angry about it, like it happened yesterday.” The wise man nodded. “Pain is real. Sadness is real. It is natural to feel hurt when something bad happens. But when we carry that pain every day, we are choosing to suffer over and over again. We are letting the same hurt rob us of our happiness.”

An older gentleman raised his hand. “But how do we stop thinking about our problems? Sometimes it feels impossible to let go.” The wise man smiled gently. “You start by understanding that your mind is like a garden. If you keep watering the weeds of sadness and anger, they will grow and cover everything. But if you choose to water the flowers of joy, gratitude, and hope, your garden will bloom.” He continued, “When painful thoughts come, acknowledge them, but do not let them take over. Replace them with good thoughts. Think about what you still have, what you can still do, and the people who care about you.” A child raised his hand, “So, it’s like if I fall and scrape my knee, I cry at first, but after some time when it doesn’t hurt anymore I forget about it?” The wise man laughed kindly. “Exactly, my child. You cry when it hurts, but then you heal. You do not keep picking at the wound. You let it go.” The room was now filled with smiles, nodding heads, and a sense of understanding. People left that day with lighter hearts. They had learned that while pain is a part of life, suffering over the same pain repeatedly is a choice.