Being at ease

There are two paths of life one can take:

discomfort with oneself - lose oneself in work or play - inability to know oneself through solitude - therefore listen to others' opinion of who one is - live one's life to please others so as to get a better opinion - strive your whole life to please others - remain eternally unhappy

at ease with oneself - know oneself through solitude - live one's life as it suits oneself - be truly happy

Mostly, we all take the first path as we don't have a life though we all think we do. We lose ourselves in work or play, it doesn't matter which.

One way or other, few, if any, are at ease with themselves. It could be the way we are brought up, preparing us to succeed in society like soldiers are trained for war. The artificially/subconsciously imbibed sense that we are worth nothing if we cannot or do not contribute to society. Maybe that is to blame for it all.

On the other hand, I have found absolute quiet and a cool climate to be the requisites for being at ease with oneself. Also being free - not a member of any organization, no responsibility for anyone or anything. Responsibility kills happiness.

But it all surely starts with being at ease with oneself or not.