We generally belief that “livin’ the good life” means having lots of money to buy all the things that give us pleasure. That’s because we don’t know that pleasure is not the same as joy. We also believe that avoiding difficult (currently called “negative”) emotions is a way to develop a good and happy life. That’s because we do not understand that there’s no such thing as a good or bad emotion—nor do we understand that those emotions that seem the most difficult are frequently the ones that lead us to the capacity for the greatest joy. Coming alive is not a linear upward path to ascendance
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