The Truth About Happiness You Were Never Taught with Michael Singer

Happiness is not getting what you want

Singer argues that defining joy as achieving desired outcomes creates a conditional state that inevitably fades due to the law of diminishing returns.

Unconditional enthusiasm is possible

True happiness means waking up excited about every moment, from washing dishes to taking out garbage, because you've stopped resisting reality.

You actively close yourself off

While most believe external events control their emotions, you actually choose to 'close' through tension when displeased and 'open' when pleased.

Closing requires resistance

Closing is an active act of muscular and psychic tension used to push away uncomfortable experiences, whereas relaxation naturally creates openness.

Start with low-hanging fruit

Practice with small triggers like traffic lights, heat, or rain before tackling major emotional conflicts.

Relaxation is your spiritual tool

When you feel yourself closing, consciously relax your body and heart, since you cannot simultaneously resist and relax.

Make it a daily experiment

Commit each morning to 'not closing' and review at night without judgment, treating each closure as feedback for growth.

We close to protect against old pain

From childhood onward, we learned to tense against uncomfortable experiences, creating chronic closure that blocks even positive moments.

Change yourself, not the world

Citing Rumi, Singer emphasizes spirituality means working internally to remain open rather than manipulating circumstances to match preferences.