Are You Happy?
This is a question that I've been pondering for many decades now. The way I've approached the question has changed over those decades, but my search for the concept of happiness has remained essentially the same. In a nutshell, I’ve learned that happiness is an “inside job” and that anyone can achieve happiness if they are willing to do the work it takes to get there.
It might seem strange to think that happiness takes work. But the good news is that your happiness is not “out there” somewhere. Your happiness resides within you. If you don’t feel happy, it’s possible to change that. The science of happiness has progressed to a point where it’s possible to identify specific actions that you can take to feel happier every day.
That is not to say that you will feel joyful every day. Happiness is not the same as joy. Some days will be difficult. You may enter a space of grief after having lost a loved one, a job, or a marriage. Even within the space of grief, however, you can achieve happiness.
I’m using the word “happiness” because I like the word, but a more descriptive word might be “well-being.” Using that word, it’s easier to see how one could be grieving a loss and yet still be “well.”
In my writing, I’ll use those terms interchangeably and I’ll even introduce other terms with similar meanings. For me, the point is not to get wrapped up in terminology but to achieve the concept of happiness, regardless of the words used to describe it.
Wanna come along for the ride?