Anticipation for pleasure fuels our everyday life. As humans, we are always seeking to be happy. The constant quest for happiness has led to instability. We are endlessly galloping from one source of joy to the next. The latest technology, fashion, car, drink, the newest fast food joint in town, etc. It is sickening. This essay aims to highlight alternatives to our present springs of happiness.
We have asked highly of material possessions to make us happy. We have been doing it all wrong. We barely feel happy. The outcome is unhappiness, stress, and displeasure. A behavior change is what is required.
Happiness is subjective. It is barely found in the crowd. There is that which makes you happy. Ranging from feelings of joy, excitement, satisfaction, contentment, pleasure, and optimism, find your source.
In solitude, great things happen. The rational being in you is optimally active, and you can be critical and analytical. This crucial ability is lost when in a crowd. In a congregation, we tend not to be rational. We are lost in the emotional atmosphere, influenced by it to act emotionally.
Subsequently, our choices must go with the crowd and contribute to everyone’s happiness. We neglect our preferences. Thus, it is paramount to break away from the group. Sit alone with yourself and seek that which gives you pleasure, joy, and satisfaction. It is a choice.
Happiness is progressive. It is not an end goal. Life is difficult. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve satisfaction. To be constantly happy is a point no man has reached. Every man faces positive and negative feelings, expressions in an equation seeking balance. The magnitude of each relative to the other dictates our emotional state.
Happiness, therefore, involves more positive emotions than negative ones. We are happy when we feel joy, excitement, and satisfaction more than sadness and displeasure. However, this is constantly changing. The activities we engage in interchangeably seek to balance the equation. If they are pleasurable, they tip the balance to the happiness side. If they are painful, they make us unhappy.
Consequently, it would be best not to aim to achieve happiness. Instead, you should be aware that life is a rollercoaster of emotions and you will always be in a series of changing emotional states.
Simple things have proven to be excellent sources of happiness. Going for a walk, reading your favorite book, singing in the shower, playing with children in a park, chatting with a loved one, basking in the sun, the list is endless.
Such activities may appear mundane, but they offer plenty of positive feelings. They make us excited, joyful, and optimistic in life. We feel connected with our inner selves whenever we engage in these activities. They should be the number one ingredient in our recipe for a happy life. Go for a walk today!
Having a purpose in life is paramount to being happy. Leading a meaningful life is an essential step in the quest for happiness. When we look forward to achieving our goals, we feel happy. Reaching our goals and finally fulfilling our purpose provides feelings of optimism, joy, satisfaction, contentment, gratitude, and excitement, all of which are positive emotions.
You need to find something that offers you a sense of meaning and formulate a plan to achieve it. Consequently, you will tend to experience more positive emotions than negative ones.
In conclusion, happiness should come from you. It would help if you made yourself happy. Always seek moments of solitude. Engage in activities that allow you to connect with your inner human. Happiness is not a destination to reach. Please make no mistake in dedicating your life to getting it. Find your purpose, and positive feelings will flow your way.
