Veroniek Vermeulen is the Founder of Silatha:
What is happiness to you?
Fully being the moment. Enjoying the time I spend together with loved ones and simply feeling fulfilled.
How did you come to your current level of positivity and what did you have to overcome to achieve it?
Through meditation I managed to connect to my inner happiness and realised that nothing external, no situation or person can give me long-term happiness. This has to come from within. It is an inner source of which only I have the power over. It’s not my surroundings, the people or the circumstances that bring happiness, it’s the way I react to them. 50{35d3525f1c030a1ad48e5d7c137e9475e12a267c00dd63e0fd71f891391fbb40} Of our happiness is defined in your DNA, 10{35d3525f1c030a1ad48e5d7c137e9475e12a267c00dd63e0fd71f891391fbb40} depends on your circumstances and 40{35d3525f1c030a1ad48e5d7c137e9475e12a267c00dd63e0fd71f891391fbb40} of your happiness is your attitude towards life. This means you control a big part of your own happiness. When I realised that I am responsible for my own happiness, I learned how to influence this.
How do you help people being more happy through Silatha?
Silatha is a product that came to life inspired by what I was searching for myself. When we grow up, we learn many things, though in my western education I was never taught to examine my own feelings and sensations. I was taught to work hard to realise my dreams. But what are these dreams? I was never taught to look inside my heart, to find my happiness inside. Through meditation, I found this inner source of happiness. Though I struggled to make meditation a part of my day to day life. I wanted a support system to create a routine for it. That’s how the idea grew to have something tangible to remind me. The Silatha jewellery is influenced by the symbol of a dorje. This symbolises your true nature; who we are without our ego and all constructions we have created over the years. The gemstone, is there, to remind you of the intention you set for yourself. Like more love for yourself, to grow the ability to let go or to have more emotional balance. The stone carries this quality and the jewellery acts like your reminder. Then I added a meditation app, so that everyone can be guided to their inner source of happiness. It has been a great help to me, I quit my corporate job and created Silatha, so it could support others too.
How do you think can one maintain happiness living a “normal” life in a big city, having a corporate job ,etc?
This is indeed a challenge for many people I believe and it is not easy. We live in a society driven by success and consumption. But I believe we forgot what success means. Success to me, is not driving an expensive car and wearing designer clothes. To me success is managing your life in a way you feel happy and fulfilled. What makes you feel fulfilled you can only define for yourself. This is actually not such an easy question. We often do the things that we believe are expected from us and we don’t want to take the risk to really follow our heart, as this might mean, not having an income or not fulfilling your parents wishes, or simply not meeting the expectations you had set for yourself when you were younger. But happiness comes, when you do what you want and you live a fulfilling life. We create it and own it. For me, to be able to create your own happiness in life is being successful. This means making choices in life. Not doing it all. We can’t do it all, and you don’t need to. Choose the things that are really important to you. And do it, with love and all your attention. Let go of the things that do not make you happy. And also, leave negativity with others. When you love your job, but you find it difficult that there are so many politics in the company you work for. Then realise that what is going on is theirs. You don’t need to make it yours. Do your job and enjoy it and if someone is difficult, accept it. Stay positive and true to that person. You are the one who is sending out the energy. You send positive energy, then this will eventually return to you.You stay true to yourself. If you don’t like your job. Find another job, start your own company, or if you’re a mum and that is what you enjoy most do that. Enjoy it, don’t worry about what others think. Do what your heart tells you and learn to listen to it. This sounds maybe simpler than it is. We are hardwired to fulfil other people’s expectations. Let it go.
Share your favourite Happy thought.
Happiness is not getting what you want, it is appreciating what you have.