Hemingway failed.
Sylvia Plath failed.
They dug into a rich vein,
and came up empty.
That inward journey
should have led
past terrifying crevasses
toward light.
Somewhere
they took a wrong turn,
followed a path
which led to the brink
and beyond!
------------------------------------
Fame, wealth, travel, excitement do not always result in happiness. Hemingway and Sylvia Plath, who achieved many of these goals, still could not feel enough happiness to make their lives worth continuing.
The ability to enjoy is the very special ability to be able to find joy in small as well as large pleasures, so that when some of our more exciting moments are no longer available to us, we can still take pleasure in those small daily joys that we sometimes take for granted in our rush for more and different experiences.
As we go through whatever fate has planned for us, we can always count on the support of these small available joys—an embrace, a book, a good dinner, child’s smile, and the many other small pleasures of life which make our lives more joyful and well worth living.
Related Articles
The Mind and Body Connection
By: June Stepansky | 01/03/2007 | Self Help
Exploring the difficulty of one's mind and body being in harmony when it comes to making personal decisions.
Reclaiming your Independence and Power
By: June Stepansky | 08/03/2007 | Self Help
Often we tend to view ourselves through the eyes of others. When we begin to have more self-esteem and confidence in our own worth, we no longer need to depend on the love and approval of others.
Recapturing our Childhood Enthusiasm
By: June Stepansky | 12/03/2007 | Self Help
Children are able to view the world with a sense of wonder. Everything is new and exciting for them. As we get older, we must always try to maintain this sense of wonder and enthusiasm, because that is what ultimately brings into our lives the happiness that we all desire.
Unconscious Influences on our Behavior
By: June Stepansky | 17/03/2007 | Self Improvement
There are reasons why every individual behaves in a particular way. We ourselves may not always understand these reasons, but if we probe our conscious and our sub-conscious minds, we may begin to understand some of the sources of these patterns.
Counting our Daily Pleasures
By: June Stepansky | 02/03/2007 | Self Help
Modern Life is so fast paced and so busy that we tend to discount the many simple pleasures of our lives because they are so abundant. If we begin to actively notice them, we then can begin to appreciate that there are in all of our lives many moments of joy.
Gathering your Strength to Face Critical Moments
By: June Stepansky | 08/03/2007 | Self Help
Because we are all human, life will not always be easy and pleasant. We will all face dark and frightening moments. At these times we will need to draw on all our strengths, with the special understanding that facing troubling times is a universal experience.
Responsibility---a Fact of Life
By: June Stepansky | 12/03/2007 | Self Help
Responsibilities are part of all of our lives. How we view them and how we manage them makes all the difference as to whether we will ultimately feel overwhelmed or feel competent. We all need to learn the skills of dealing with responsibility, because they are essential to our happiness.
Attaining Discipline and Control of your Mind
By: June Stepansky | 17/03/2007 | Self Help
There are really two minds that are acting for us. The one that makes a decision and the one that acts on that decision. Without discipline and control these two separate entities are not always able to work together. It is important for our happiness that we learn how to help these two diverse minds to work compatably together.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you love the Christmas atmosphere?
By: deadhead | 25-11-2007
Do you think the "Christmas season/spirit" that starts the day after Thanksgiving is refreshing/inspiring or annoying? (ex. the songs on the radio, the decorations everywhere, the malls, the gift specials, etc.)
I'm an overeater who just got caught! pls help!
By: zagameza | 24-11-2007
i've been married almost 2 years and my husband has no idea i have an eating problem. (i've been very good at hiding it all this time.) but last night, i got caught binge eating. he called me out on it and now thinks he knows that i cannot control my eating.
i'm embarrassed and sad as i know i've gained weight in the past few months. i need help. i've tried overeaters anonymous meetings but they dont work for me. any suggestions?
8-9 Boys Rape 11 Girl Marietta Giorgia
By: Shawana | 21-11-2007
Three boys, ages 8-9 were charged with rape of an 11 y/o girl. Thje parents of the boys claim the girl consented and no force was used against her.Is this normal?Can they be held responsible?Who's to blame in this story?
Botanic online resources for elementary school children
By: ROY | 21-11-2007
Looking for a comprehensive list of botanic online resources for elementary school children
Teaching Computer Apps to ELLs
By: P W. | 20-11-2007
I teach computer applications in a classroom with many second language learners. I would like to know if anyone has good lesson plans or ideas for teaching computer apps to SLLs.
Is there an Hebrew translation of the poem Beowulf?
By: yes | 20-11-2007
Is there an Hebrew translation of the poem Beowulf?I seem to remember reading in Haaretz of such a translation, but I can't seem to find one.
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Self Help Articles
Handling Life's Challenges, Failures, and Setbacks by Learning From Them
By: Dr. Mario Barrett | 21/08/2008
Everyone fails from time to time, but those that win in life often do so, by learning from these very same failures.
Persuasive Speech Topics: 3 Hot Tips on Choosing Your Persuasive Speech Topics
By: Michael Lee | 20/08/2008
You may think that choosing persuasive speech topics is a piece of cake. But know that whatever you choose can greatly affect how your article is going to turn out. The wrong topic can backfire on you and all your hard work.
Deception Detection Techniques: How to Spot Lies With Deception Detection Techniques
By: Michael Lee | 20/08/2008
Deception detection techniques will help you determine whether a person is telling the truth or making something up. And while most of these methods rest on non-verbal cues, there are some verbal indicators you can look out for.
Discover How To Manage Your Time In 3 Easy Steps
By: Maya Mah | 20/08/2008
There must be a reason why some people can just handle all the tasks that are thrown at them. They can handle the urgent items on their to do lists, the unexpected project changes that show up and even their personal commitments.
The reason these people can easily succeed in what...
What About Those Once Important Dreams?
By: David Schaefer | 20/08/2008
Over time our belief that anything is possible is often whittled away and we seem to accept a diluted version of what we had hoped to achieve. Discover how to recapture the luster of diminished dreams.
Procrastination is an Enemy of Success
By: David Schaefer | 20/08/2008
When your intention is to achieve a goal, procrastination will only hinder or possibly sabotage your efforts. While procrastination may seem like a simple behavior, it can be complex. See if you are a procrastinator.
Optimistic or Pessimistic – it is a Defining Choice
By: David Schaefer | 20/08/2008
Whether your outlook is of optimism or pessimism, the choice is ultimately yours. Since thoughts, expectations, and beliefs influence behavior, it is important to understand just how crucial your thinking is to the results you experience.
Failure is an Important Element of Success
By: David Schaefer | 20/08/2008
Successful people often consider failure as a significant learning process on the way to achieving desired results. Find out why failure should be embraced while pursuing a goal.
More from June Stepansky
Eight Steps to a More Manageable (and Happier) Life
By: June Stepansky | 27/10/2007 | Self Improvement
If you follow all or even some of these recommendations, you will find that your life will become more orderly, more manageable and happier, and that you will begin to have a sense of mastery over the hectic pace of modern living.
An Open Letter to Religious Leaders
By: June Stepansky | 18/10/2007 | News and Society
An examination of the need for religious leaders from all over the world to come together and explore common goals and common actions that can ultimately result in a safer, more tolerant environment for all.
An Open Letter to People in Power
By: June Stepansky | 14/10/2007 | News and Society
The many problems that confront our society and our world will not change unless powerful people and the leadership of all counties with the mandate from the people they govern, change their views and decide to take an active role in implementing necessary, humanitarian changes.
About Parents and Children
By: June Stepansky | 11/10/2007 | Self Help
The complex relationships between parents and their adult children and ways to ease the difficulty of communication between them.
The Unexamined Life
By: June Stepansky | 28/09/2007 | Self Help
Our lives are so busy and frequently so hectic that we don't always have the motivation or the energy to examine our lives closely to see if we are achieving the goals that we really desire, and experiencing the happiness for which we all hoped and planned.
About our Imperfections
By: June Stepansky | 20/03/2007 | Self Help
Not many of us are perfect. It is necessary therefore that we be tolerant of ourselves when confronted with our imperfections. We may not always be able understand the influences that have shaped us into the people that we have ultimately become. When we try to understand these influences, we are then more able to begin to change our troubling behavior and start to live better and happier lives.
Economic Realities
By: June Stepansky | 20/03/2007 | Self Help
Money is a necessary component of living and we must develop a mature attitude about it and be realistic in the way we earn, use and manage it, so that it will ultimately become a positive influence in our lives and not a source of frustration and anxiety.
Taking Care of Ourselves
By: June Stepansky | 20/03/2007 | Self Help
Not all of us take proper care of ourselves. We don't always pay attention to our diet, or our need for exercise and sleep, or making sure that we get the prompt medical care that we should have. It is really a very important, self-evident truth that it is necessary to maintain good health in order to live a better, happier life.
Self Improvement 
