The responses rolled in after yesterday’s email.

A few thoughtful well-wishers emailed me to say safe travels or how great my trip sounded.

But that wasn’t all.

One reader replied with you actually had me in the first part of the email, then I realized it was the 1st April yesterday lol

Another reader emailed is today joke day in the UK?  the only reason I'm asking, being that there are no Llamas in Nepal 🤣

And one reader called my bluff when he replied Oh, come on, they must have Wi-Fi and the password should be "Shambala" ;)

It’s time to come clean:

Yesterday’s email was an April Fools.  

Which means I’m not about to pause writing my daily emails. 

I’m not flying in a hot air balloon, gazing down at snow-capped mountains. 

And I’m most definitely not about to spend 3 months singing silent karaoke, levitating teapots or chanting at llamas in a “Dalai llamas” ritual.

I just couldn’t let the 1st April go by without a touch of email-based monkey business.

Anyway, while we’re on the subject of April Fools:

One of my favourite April Fool’s stories comes from London in the 1860s.

A group of pranksters decided to send out a bunch of invitations to London socialites, professionally embossed and decorated with all the official trimmings.

The invitations read as follows:

Tower of London – Admit Bearer and Friend to view annual ceremony of Washing the White Lions on Sunday, April 1, 1860.  Admittance only at White Gate.  It is particularly requested that no gratuities be given to wardens or attendants

Of course, the White Gate didn’t exist.

And right on cue, all morning there were a stream of cabs tootling round the Tower of London, looking for the imaginary White Gate.

A fun little story.

And it’s very apt

It seems to me that people spend their lives searching in the wrong places for the things they want.

I talk of things like happiness, peace and fulfilment.

You can use whatever word you like.

But whatever you call it, thinking that you’ll find happiness, peace or fulfilment by looking for it in the outside world is no different to thinking you’ll find the White Gate by looking for it at the Tower of London.

It’s another type of April Fools. 

A sneaky trick that society plays on itself which results in people innocently yet optimistically going on the hunt for a new house, a pay-rise, a leather jacket, a new phone, a round-the-world trip or a once-in-a-lifetime experience under the assumption that this is where happiness, peace or fulfilment are found.

Now don’t get me wrong.

I’m not suggesting we all live in caves and give up our well-earned holidays.

But what I am suggesting is that if you think your new car or a nice holiday will lead to happiness, peace and fulfilment, then I have to come clean:

I don’t think life works this way.

Admittedly I’ve changed my view on this in the last couple of years.

I used to think that promotions, nice clothes, fancy holidays and new “stuff” was the way to a happier, more fulfilling life.

But the more of these I ticked off in my 20s, the more suspicious I got.

Half an hour after a pay-rise or buying a new gizmo, my happiness always seemed to return to whatever level it was at before.

So they never actually made me happier.

And whilst happiness, peace and fulfilment can certainly be found, I no longer think these are places to find them.

My belief nowadays?

The gate to happiness is within you.

And it’s standing wide open, no ticket required, waiting for you to step through.

Yes, I know this might sound woo-woo.

But so be it.  I make no apologies for that.

If you’re ready to step inside, here’s your way in:

https://waitinglist.followingfulfilment.com

 - Tom