A common myth however is that happiness is based on the quantity of these ups and downs. Most believe that the more good moments they have rather than bad moments, then the more happy they will be overall.
But this isn’t necessarily true. Life isn’t about the exact quantity of ups and downs, but rather how smoothly we ride between these inevitable ups and downs.
Good things and bad things happen to everyone, but the individuals who are most happy are the ones who manage both with ease and equanimity.
Equanimity is a mental state of calmness and stability that can be applied to almost any experience. It’s a middle ground perspective between what we normally see as “positive” or “negative.”
This state of stability comes with the insight that all of reality is ultimately transient. Everything is subject to change from one moment to the next: thoughts, emotions, habits, goals, or relationships. There is almost no facet of our existence that is completely fixed and permanent.
