In Pursuit of Happiness

There is wisdom in these words of C.P. Snow, "The pursuit of happiness is a most ridiculous phrase; if you pursue happiness you'll never find it." Happiness is not on the run, it is ever present within you. However, the decision to be happy or to be sad or angry is yours & yours alone.

The idea of pursuing happiness may have come from the thought that you can only be happy WHEN you already have what you want. Most people tend to postpone happiness until they have enough money, until they have met the right person, until their children have finished college and all other excuses. They have forgotten that everyday is a different day from the rest.

According to the article The Keys to Happiness, and Why We Don't Use Them, research have shown that people who are living more satisfying lives are those who appreciate what they have and grateful for even the smallest things. They forgive others, practice positive thinking and invest time & energy with family & friends. The same article also mentioned Gregg Easterbrook, researcher and author of The Progress Paradox: How Life Gets Better While People Feel Worse (Random House, 2004) pointing out to Sigmund Freud's theory that people are unhappy by default because happiness takes a lot more effort than being unhappy. After all, it is always perceived that there is more to be unhappy about than to be happy about.

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