Happiness Isn't an Achievement

You don't wake up one day and just suddenly achieve happiness.  Much like other relationships in your life, happiness is a journey that requires time and commitment.  It requires dedication and perseverance in order to maintain, and much like anything else in life, if you don't work at it, you're not likely to see results.

So why, then, has so much effort been spent on trying to make us believe that this, that, or the other will somehow be our quick fix to happiness for the rest of our lives?  I expect, more often than not, it's about making money--and often not to your benefit.  Many of us will argue that we just don't have time for building a relationship with one more thing in our lives.  And yet, if happiness is something we're looking for, doesn't it seem obvious that we ought to make that time?

I've often heard the saying that it's not where you've been, but where you're going that matters.  Yet, in many ways, I feel that's disingenuous.  Where we've been matters.  It can inform us as we move forward in life, and sadly, more often than not, the bad things we've done can follow us for far longer than the good ones.  But without that past, we wouldn't be where we are right now.  The same can be true for your happiness journey.  Remembering times when we were happy in the past can help us to find similar paths in the future.  Remembering times when we were unhappy can help us to avoid the same mistakes.

In my mind, happiness is a journey.  It is not something you attain, but rather something that occurs throughout our lives as we work to build foundations for it.  There is no magic pill (though pills can certainly help in cases of depression and mental maladies;) there are no "buy happiness now" items (though candles, trips, and even a piece of chocolate can inspire moments of happiness.)  Happiness is something we have to create for ourselves every day.

So during this coming week, don't forget to set aside some time to reflect on what's making you happy (and what isn't.)  Put some effort into creating situations that bring you enjoyment, and don't forget that happiness requires effort if you want it to last.