Winning Grammys AND being happy

​It's the Grammys tonight here in LA and invariably, there is someone who has "stolen the spotlight" or in other words, nabbed the most nominations. They might get the title "woman (or man) of the moment" because truth be told, this is their time. Maybe they will have more of these times but that's not for certain. But right now, it is.

In this years Grammys, SZA leads the field with 9 nominations so you could say she's the "Woman of the moment," though any such title needs to account for the phenomenon that is Taylor Swift who has 6 nominations to her credit to go alongside the 12 Grammys she's already won.

But this post isn't really about the Grammys. It's about the dangers inherent within what's called object referral happiness.

Object referral happiness is where our happiness is derived from sources outside of our own being. For example, if we win the Grammy, we will be happy. If we lose the Grammy, we won't be.

From an object referral perspective, both SZA and Taylor have every reason in the world to be happy. They are celebrated musicians with adoring fans wherever they go and every conceivable luxury one could want, at their finger tips. And judging by the nominations, are at the absolute top of the music industry.

So - one might ask - where's the danger in this?

Well - the problem lies within the assertion - "Woman of the moment." Inherent in this statement is the implication that there will be other moments - and these other moments - will have different people at the helm of them. Now SZA and Taylor may be at the top for many years to come - but it's as sure as the sun setting, that there will come a time when they are not.

And if their happiness is based on being at the top, then it's a given that there is a time coming, when they will not be happy.

Fortunately for them, there is another kind of happiness - a happiness that is derived solely from within - a happiness that can exist irrespective of what's going on in the "object referral" world around oneself.

This kind of happiness is called baseline happiness - and when you have it - winning a Grammy is still amazing - there's absolutely nothing wrong with either being successful, or wanting to be - but your happiness isn't determined by the winning of the Grammy and exists completely independently of external circumstances.

When you have it - you still have preferences (win the Grammy) but if your preferences don't come to pass, you're still equally as happy.

The twice daily practise of Vedic Meditation has been shown to increase and eventually stabilise permanent baseline happiness.

It's not that we don't care how things go - we care a lot - it's just that our happiness isn't determined by how they go.

I really hope SZA and Taylor have worked on their baseline happiness - not because I don't think they will go well tonight at the Grammys - but more because there will come a time when they won't be nominated. And if this does impact their happiness.....they won't be alone in the industry.

The Baseline Happiness Project www.baselinehappiness.com is an initiative myself and two of my colleagues started  based on the fact that so much of the music industry is dictated by object-referral happiness and how much the industry suffers as a result. Our goal is to raise baseline happiness levels within the music industry through teaching meditation

Because the truth is - you can win the Grammy AND be happy.

With this in mind - SZA and Taylor - best of luck tonight - but please feel free to reach out if you need a hand finding true and everlasting happiness.