Happiness: it’s like the meaning of life, everyone is constantly chasing after it and some become so involved with their quest that they completely miss it. Everyone wants to be happy, and that’s not unreasonable, the problem occurs when people look in all the wrong places. To complicate things, people generally look too deeply into one thing or activity for happiness, which closes off the possibility of having more experiences that could lead to happiness. It comes from a combination of thoughts, decisions, and realizations.
We all know the cliché saying count your blessings and if you really take the time to think about all of the usual things we don’t think about, it’ll start to amaze you. If you’re reading this then you must be alive, congratulations you have survived for X years on planet Earth. Next blessing, you can read! There are a lot of illiterate people in the world that miss out on all the wonderful literature the human race has produced. The ability to read is also a key factor in getting an education which opens so many doors and provides a lot more opportunities that were previously unavailable.
Happiness is the best when accompanied by occasional sadness and/or depression. I know this sounds crazy but it’s true. Your sad times will make the good times that much more valuable. When you’re coming out of depression, happiness will feel like winning the lottery and so much more.
Take some time to appreciate the smaller things. A lot of times people got so bogged down in one or two tragedies and even though there is a time for sadness, they don’t come out from under their rainy storm cloud. It could be as small as listening to the birds’ chirp, they’re quite melodious, or as big as getting an A on that test/paper or that promotion you’ve always wanted.
Balance is another key factor. People need the right balance of productivity and relaxation to feel good, and it’s different for everyone. A balance of what you do in your free time always helps the happiness quest. Netflix and video games are fun and will always hold a special place in my heart, but books, playing out side, and journaling will always be my favorites.
It's easy to get swept into a storm of pessimistic thoughts, and feel like you're stuck in a never ending labyrinth. The good news is you aren't. Keep a particular blessing that reminds you of the better times and happiness won't be far away.
