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Pursuit of Happiness

Written by: Eva Gregory

Article Overview: With International Happiness Day quickly approaching, it made me think about our right to be happy. In the United States Constitution is the right to pursue happiness. I think this is a noble idea, but if that were true why does it seem that some many people are having such a hard time finding it?

Pursuit of Happiness

With International Happiness Day quickly approaching, it made me think about our right to be happy. In the United States Constitution is the right to pursue happiness. I think this is a noble idea, but if that were true why does it seem that some many people are having such a hard time finding it?

If we are pursuing happiness, that means that it must exist somewhere outside ourselves. In this scenario, our life is a treasure hunt, always trying to find that elusive happiness. We have a general idea of what happiness will be like when we find it. We base this feeling upon our experiences; Christmas morning, birthday parties, our first kiss and our wedding day. We can remember how wonderful it felt to be happy.

The truth is that a person can go through a whole life - birth to death - looking for happiness. They can think that it will always be around the next corner. When they get that new job or some other life changing event occurs, happiness seems to be elusive. It is not how they imagined the prize to be and they continue to pursue happiness.

As International Happiness Day grows closer I wanted to let you in on a secret so that you can totally appreciate what this day is all about. Happiness is not something to be pursued. You already have it. It was given to as a gift the day you were born. You experienced it the first time when you gazed upon your mother’s face for the first time.

Happiness exists within each of us. So if there is any pursuit, it is an inward journey. It is waiting within your heart. Some people miss this point when they are pursuing their goal in life. They think that if they get that new car, or larger house that these things hold the final key to their happiness. While these goals are wonderful pursuits and may make a person feel good accomplishing them, they must have unlocked happiness from within.

Can people be truly happy at any point in their life’s journey? Absolutely! Since happiness is something that is contained within you, no one can take it away from you. You can give it away and share it with others, but it never is truly used up. It just fills back up within your soul.

So how can people access this happiness? Part of the key is memories. To remember what it feels like to be happy can bring that feeling in the present. When you close your eyes and think of some event in your past that made you feel blissful, you will find a smile will form on your face automatically.

The other part of the key to unlock happiness is living in the moment. You must live in the NOW. Many things can happen tomorrow or may have even happened yesterday, but you are living right now in this moment. As you focus on the immediate moment, you can create a happy moment. You can CHOOSE to be happy. When you can be in the moment, you can access your right to be happy.

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Article Tags: bliss, Eva Gregory, goal, happiness, journey



Related Forum Posts
Re: The secret to happiness - Happiness comes from within. We choose whether we want to be happy or not. Circumstances can influence our feelings, but in the end, it's up to us how we deal with our circumstances, positively or negatively. I admire anyone who can stay strong and be happy through adversity. There will always be challenges that we face, but I believe that if we face them with our heads held high, the odds of overcoming them are much greater. This reminds me of the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness." Happiness spelled wrong for a reason. One of Will Smith's greatest movies. I encourage you all to watch it as it's very inspiring.
Re: The secret to happiness - Happiness is working on the job you love. I forgot who said this, "give a man the job he loves doing and he will ever work again in his life"
Re: The secret to happiness - [quote="barrysarner":2awy1urv]I agree and happiness is different for every individual.[/quote:2awy1urv] Happiness is something that comes from within each person it not something that we can find externally. Something from outside such as an exciting event or a new car can make us happy, but this is a fleeting emotion. True happiness is within each person if we choose to it over misery. MichelleJ
Re: Millionaire or Happyness? - [quote="mphcoach":2xpspnai]I recently watched the movie 'In Pursuit of Happyness' and was rather disappointed that the 'happiness' achieved was merely the accumulation of wealth.[/quote:2xpspnai] Hi Martin, I actually loved the movie, and interpret the "pursuit of happyness" as Chris Gardner setting a goal in life and then reaching it through the process of hard work and a fighting spirit. In fact, I once heard that people who work harder are actually happier than those who are talented. The logic behind this mindset is that people tend to enjoy their success more when they feel they've struggled to earn it. However, I still think a person is better off being rich and unhappy, rather than being poor and unhappy.
Re: Millionaire or Happyness? - [quote="mphcoach":lgfsn9gb] I recently watched the movie 'In Pursuit of Happyness' and was rather disappointed that the 'happiness' achieved was merely the accumulation of wealth. [/quote:lgfsn9gb] Money definitely can make things easier, but of course the main wealth in life is health. If you do not have your health you do not have anything, as anyone who suffers from a chronic disease can tell you! 1) Health 2) Family (whether it's you and your relatives, or you and your own spouse and rugrats) 3) Enough money to live comfortably First thing a parent should do for their kid is start them with a savings account. Even if you only get 1% interest these days - and how obscene is that! - it gets them accustomed to the idea of saving. Too many people these days spend up to their income, and, thanks to credit cards, beyond. That's one of the main barriers to developing wealth - digging a pit when you're young that you have to spend the rest of your lfe digging out of.


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