The Hunt For Happiness

We are on the search to find happiness, as if it’s something to be found. We focus on what or who will make us happy. We believe it must to somewhere out there. This search party usually never ends because we are looking in the wrong places. Why do we never think to look within? That maybe happiness resided within ourselves. That maybe, what or who is not the answer.

Yes, the people and material things we can attain or experiences throughout our lives can absolutely bring some level of joy and can have an impact on our level of happy, but it does not make up happy. Wealthy, middle class or poor does not define levels of happiness either.

So, if we come to conclusion that no matter how successful I become, no matter how much stuff I fill my life with or the great people I meet along the way isn’t going to bring me real true fulfillment, then what is?

The answer to this, is in the question, you don’t know. You don’t know because you haven’t checked in with yourself to see what you really want and how you really want to feel. We don’t know because society and our upbringing has created this limited belief that the, who, what and success would make us happy. To work hard, be nice, get an education, secure a good job, get married, have a family and everything will be ok, you’ll be “happy.”

There is no secret combination, because each individual is different. What happiness and joy looks like to one person can look very different to another. As society, we try to fit in these predetermined boxes that promise fulfillment –and it just doesn’t work.

Because many of us start to follow these “guidelines” we end up feeling trapped and stuck in our own lives. We end up allowing other people, society and our current situation define who we are and what we need. We lose our sense of choice.

What happened to the thought and feeling of every day being a new day and what wonderful things this day could hold?

What happened to the thought and feeling of gratitude and appreciation for life in general?

What happened to the thought and feeling of how miraculous this world and life is and what a pleasure it is to be part of, how can I make the best of this?

We don't naturally think this way, we constantly have to be reminded. Our past, current situation and our own prediction of the future is what we care about. And we usually have little gratitude or appreciation for any of it. We live in fear.

Happiness is a state of mind. In order to experience and feel true happiness and fulfillment you have to visit that state or better yet, live in that state of mind.

Feeding that state of mind with gratitude, happiness and knowing what and who will make you feel joy is the short answer to this. If you continue to camp out in the state of mind that proves lack, that is how you will feel all the time, lack of money, lack of growth, lack of security, lack of love and connection, lack of certainty = lack of fulfillment.

So, first, figure out how you want to feel. Start finding the things you already have and experience in your life that makes you feel that way and then choose more of that moving forward in your life. Get rid of the things that don’t. Camp out there instead.

Remember, your past or your current situation does not define who you are and does not have to define what your destiny is, unless, you allow it.

Happiness isn’t “out there somewhere”, it’s within you, waiting for you to choose it. The beauty of it all, you don’t have to wait to go to that state of mind, you can visit it right now, from right where you are.