One of the biggest problems I often hear when it comes to the question of happiness is that life is hard and people are struggling to find happiness. They still desire to feel happy, consciously or unconsciously realizing that happiness is the ultimate goal in life. However, why does it have to be so difficult to achieve happiness? I mean, sometimes it is incredibly challenging to cultivate and maintain happiness, causing people to question whether:
- Happiness is a correct goal
- A better goal would be to find contentment
- Happiness is elusive and we can never truly attain it
- We shouldn’t even strive for happiness, as appreciating and understanding unhappiness is equally important
- and other similar thoughts.
So considering all these ideas, is happiness actually possible? If so, how can we achieve it?
For instance, I know I’m not the best looking, youngest, smartest, richest, or the best at a range of activities, and overall I have many goals, setbacks, problems, and things that are going wrong pretty much 24/7 in my life. However, despite it all, I still feel happy. In fact, I feel like I’m one of the happiest people alive, a fact that I can prove to virtually anyone. But how does this work?
At the age of 25, I had a major depression that I decided to fix once and for all. This led me on a 6-year journey that eventually gave birth to Optimal Happiness. However, as I stated before, I was nothing special, and I continue to be an average individual on paper. There is indeed a lot more I could wish for, which I still do not have, but somehow I still continue to be one of the happiest people alive.
If I have to explain this, I would say it is because of how I feel, and not because of what I have or what is happening around me. In other words, I have an iron fist control over my emotions, which allows me to be happy pretty much 24/7.
However, I am still a product of my environment, and every time I want something or I compare myself against someone else, I feel an internal lack. In other words, I don’t feel good, which could be called “unhappiness.” Again, the “not feeling good” is rational, not emotional, although I know that we can’t really separate mind from body.
Still, somehow it works, as I can continue to be one of the happiest people alive despite not being the best looking, youngest, smartest, richest, or the best at a range of activities. That makes me happy because it tells me that happiness can be achieved by virtually anyone, regardless of who you are, where you are from, and what your life circumstances are.
And since we want to be happy above everything else, and the main reason why we do pretty much anything is because we want to increase positive emotions, decrease negative ones, and overall improve our life situations and satisfaction (aka happiness), it’s quite interesting that we can still be happy regardless of everything.
Overall, if you want to learn how to become one of the happiest people alive, contact me and I will show you the ropes. After all, that’s why we are both here, why you are reading my blog, and why I lead it in the first place.
Stay happy!
6 thoughts on “How To Be Happy, Everything Considered”
Very well expressed 👍
It sounds like you’re exploring a really deep question about happiness and its attainability amidst life’s challenges. Your perspective on finding happiness despite setbacks and imperfections is inspiring! It shows that happiness isn’t always about having everything perfect but rather about finding contentment and appreciating what you have. It’d be great to hear more about your journey to maintaining such a positive outlook!
Correct, happiness is possible, even in the modern world, and in any situation a person finds themselves in. While it may be easier to find happiness in some situations more than others, overall we can find happiness regardless of our background, origin, or life circumstances. Thank you for your comment!
I found my happiness in Stoic philosophy embracing virtue.
Great point, Stoic philosophy is indeed a formula for happiness that has stood the test of time. I still believe that we have made some great advancements since then, but it is still a great starting point. Even if that’s the only thing you learn, you’ll still be better off than the majority.
👏👏👏