The Little book of Contentment by Leo Babauta

Trying to Find Happiness in External Sources There was a time not too many years ago when I was addicted to cigarettes, junk food, TV, shopping, and more, while being unhappy and having relationship problems.

What was the common source of all these problems? I was unhappy, so I tried to find happiness in external things.

Let’s take food as an example, because it’s such a common symptom. I was unhappy, but I knew that food gave me pleasure — eating some cookies or French fries was pleasurable so I felt good for a few minutes. This never failed to give me a little rush of feeling good. This is a rationalization process that occurs subconsciously, without me realizing it most of the time.

Of course, after I ate them I felt guilty and unhealthy and bad about myself, and so I was even unhappier than before.

And so the cycle would repeat: To feel good again, I needed to eat again.