Most people think things make them happy.
Getting a new car or a new job or a new friend certainly gives you a feeling of joy. You enjoy the working towards it and the receiving of it.
But many times, the attainment of the thing you’ve sought after also brings a feeling of ‘what’s next?’ Its the feeling you have when you have a hole that needs to be filled. That feeling of needing to fill the hole, at least for me, is not the happiness.
Most of what we do, we do because we hope it will make us happy. We try to please others to receive their praise. We try to work hard to attain things. We try to live a life, doing the little things and the big things that will allow us to have that happy feeling.
Do you think things will make you happy?
If you are severely lacking, having enough money to eat will make it easier for you to be happy, but how much do you need to be happy? I’m sure by now everyone is familiar with the study that shows over a certain level there is no correlation between income and happiness. Having more money does not make you more happy. Especially if we are using our understanding of the levels of happiness being related to the amount of time you are happy.
So then, what has made you happy in the past and what can you do to be happy more of the time in the future?
Happiness can come from many places. As long as you have your definition of happiness and you are achieving it by any means, you are doing a wonderful job. If you can constantly achieve and attain and stay happy because of that, excellent. That is as valid an approach as any other.
Happiness can also come from within. It can start with a decision to be happy – regardless of external influence.
The last thing I want to do is tell you what makes you happy. Only you can do it. What matters is you know what happiness is and you think, believe, and act in ways that support that feeling.
