The Myth of Happiness
Are you happy? I mean genuinely happy on a regular basis. Do you smile when you walk down the street? Do you greet your fellow workers with a smile?
If not, when will you be happy?
Many of us tell ourselves, “I’ll be happy when…
- The new year starts
- My health improves
- My relationship improves
- The economy improves
- I get a new car
- I get my career on track
- I move to a better location
- I get a raise
- I lose 10 pounds
- I exercise more often
- After my vacation
The truth is that none of these things will make you happy. Happiness is something we seek as if it is a thing like the Holy Grail. Instead, happiness is a feeling that comes from the experiences in life and our attitude about them, which contribute to an overall feeling of contentment (or not). Sometimes we feel content, sometimes not, but happiness is around you every day—it’s just that sometimes we have to look closer for it.
And, happiness can be transitory, temporary. Once you experience happiness, it may not stay even though we are led to believe it is permanent. Happiness is a state of mind that comes from how you perceive your life. It won’t come from the things you seek, but rather from the attitude you have about this journey called life.
You don’t have to sail all the way around the world to find happiness. I’ve already done that. It was a monumental undertaking, and you know where it led me? Right back to where I started from. And all that time, the happiness was right inside of me. And it’s inside of you.
Happiness is up to you. You can continually wait for better days, or you can decide to look for the joy, the opportunities, the smiles, and the good in every day. You get to choose. I recommend you choose happiness.
