Misconception about happiness is common. We convince ourselves that life will be better if we have a larger home, a nicer car, and a corner office. We tell ourselves we’ll be happier if we are married, or if we are singles, or if we have children, or if we get divorced. We tell ourselves that life will be better once we finish a difficult task at work or perhaps when we change jobs altogether.

As we are constantly shown, the truth is that life is always full of challenges. Happiness doesn’t suddenly, permanently envelop us when we’ve completed a task or cleared an obstacle. At some point, we must admit that these tasks and obstacles are life and decide to be happy despite them.

Is there a solution to this universal problem?

There is, in a single verse in the Bhagavadgita (V.23):

“Only he who can keep in control here itself the pressure mounted by desire and anger can be happy; he is a true yogin.”

This formula for happiness is brief, crisp, and lucid, with no ambiguity. If we learn to govern our passions, we can be happy here and now. Transforming the old core belief system is a must. The difficulty is in the consistent and persistent daily implementation, which often we need support and guidance.