What is the biggest determination of whether a person is happy or not? Clearly the answer is character. But this answer by itself is not particularly helpful. If a person told you that there is going to be a real estate crash or a recession some time in the future would that be helpful information? Not particularly, because those events are inevitable and most people who follow financial and real estate markets know that already. Useful information would be when precisely those events will happen and to what extent they will happen.
Similarly, the fact that character is the determining factor for happiness is only useful if we know which character traits are important. I would take that a step further to say that we really need to narrow it down to one character trait that will be the most effective. Most of us are too busy to tinker around the edges. We need to take action that’s going to have an impact. Thankfully, being happy is not the same as making the right real estate deal or profiting from financial markets. We know exactly which character traits are pre-conditions for happiness and not only that, we know precisely which one among them is the most important.
If you want to be assured that you are not wasting your time, there is one activity that you need to practice and that is bringing the mind into the present moment with mindfulness. No other activity will have a greater and more immediate impact on your happiness. The simple reality is that when we suffer it is always because we are lamenting the past or worrying about the future. If the mind is truly in the present moment suffering cannot exist. This fact will take some time to verify because we all carry a legacy of habit in the opposite direction. It takes effort to keep the mind in the present moment long enough for the energy that pulls us out of it to subside. But, if we develop enough confidence and patience to strengthen a mindful character we will begin to see how peacefulness will take over our lives.