People say things like “I just want to be happy” all the time, but what does that actually mean? In your words, what does happiness mean? Nobody thinks, “Let’s suffer the whole day,” when they wake up in the morning, is that right?
Therefore, whether we realize it or not, the desire to be “happy” permeates everything we do, aspire for, and dream about. Since there is no universal definition of happiness, we are free to define it according to what is most appropriate for us.
However, as happiness is something that will determine the quality of everything in our lives, then maybe it should be defined a little clearer, don’t you think? One of the possible explanations for why, despite our best efforts, we frequently fail to find happiness is that we may not have a clear understanding of it.
We are unhappy because of three factors…
- Not obtaining what we desire
- Not achieving our desired outcomes
- Not getting people to think the way we want them to
Expectations—for ourselves, others, or God—are the root of all three of these “unhappies,” as anxiety stems from unfulfilled expectations. Expectations are something that we, as humans, constantly develop.
We are all trying to be happy. We invest much time and energy into doing so, but we frequently fall victim to negative habits and unhappy cycles. We may even question if pursuing happiness is worthwhile at all at times.
Nothing lasts forever. It includes happiness. It never actually lasted. All other feelings are necessary so that we can feel how valuable happiness is when we experience it again. Everything is part of the equation for happiness, so embrace it all, I suppose. Even if it is uncomfortable at times. No matter how much we dislike them. They exist for a purpose.