One of the biggest tragedies is not knowing that the very thing you're looking for is already in your possession. And when it comes to happiness, the search seems never-ending. We keep looking for the next thing or the next experience or the next person that will (for sure!) make us happy, but it never works. If you can relate, this article is not to give a solution of any sorts but rather to shift the perspective to something we may not think about too often.
Does happiness only come in one form?
In other words, do we express happiness in only one way? If you search images for the word 'happy', what comes up is a lot of people laughing, the sun shining over green grass, and the usual dancing amongst the flowers - and I feel like we get fooled by that.
Happiness doesn't manifest itself only through laughter.
Don't think that when you're not laughing, you're not happy. Heck, don't even think that when you're not smiling you're not happy because in different situations the happiness comes out in different ways. Think about it: after finishing a super long study session, you probably won't be bursting with laughter. You're going to be tired and drained and fed-up, but you will definitely be happy that you finished. You may not be showing it and you may look like a zombie when you see yourself in the mirror, but don't forget that your reflection betrays some of the more positive emotions that you're feeling.
So the next time that you feel as if you're not happy even though everything is going alright, pause for a moment and notice how you're actually feeling, rather than an absence of laughter.
Our happiness comes in the form of relief, peace, solitude, eagerness, and more. It comes in the form of freedom and hope and wishes from the depths of our heart.
The next time you catch yourself not smiling or laughing, don't let yourself think you aren't feeling happy if that's not the case. Acknowledge the spectrum of your emotions and your capability to handle them all, they make you strong and they make you who you are.