Discovering your authentic essence: The route to lasting happiness

In the journey of life, the author ponders a question: What happened to the adults' happiness as they grew up? This question forms the foundation of a personal exploration into the nature of joy and its elusive presence in adulthood.

As we mature, our judging intelligence becomes more pronounced. This faculty, while essential in many aspects of life, can often act as a 'joy blocker'. The author finds that becoming over-judgmental and using this faculty in every moment moves them away from joy.

The source for this reflection is a publication from the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), specifically a report published in Bonn, Germany, in 2015, detailing the development of adult education since the 1960s.

Expecting less from the world and finding peace within seems to be a key to unlocking joy. The author finds that mastering expectations has been crucial to their growing sense of bliss. Similarly, the author identifies their two biggest 'joy blockers' as judgment and being judged.

The author's description of happiness is as vivid as a sunny day: a sudden burst of sunshine, warm and homely, stargazing, dancing in the rain, and a comforting hug. The deepest bliss, however, comes when the author is not judging or being judged, in the presence of a best friend, child, guru, or God, and in nature.

The author's observations at a playschool paint a stark contrast. Adults attending the school seem stressed, restricted in their movements, and often without joy. In stark contrast, children at the school are observed laughing, screaming, and using their vocal cords, embodying the essence of joy.

The author's 21-month-old daughter, a beacon of unadulterated joy, hops, skips, and dances to school, a stark reminder of the carefree happiness that adulthood often seems to rob us of.

The author admits to clouding moments with the judgment of the past, or future, or what they want it to be. True happiness, they conclude, is experienced where neither the author is judging, nor being judged.

In the end, the author posits that happiness is who we were as children, the stuff our soul is made up of, and our very essence. We judge ourselves, others, and the moment itself so much that nothing seems to be enough. The author encourages us to reclaim our childhood joy, to find peace within, and to let go of judgments and expectations. After all, happiness is not a destination, but a journey, a constant reminder to embrace the present moment with open arms.