How To Find Happiness Blog

What’s wrong with “the pursuit of happiness”?

A dictionary defines “pursue” as “to try to find, get or win.” Alternate definitions use words such as “chase” and “hunt.” All of these imply external activities. I suggest that any search for happiness outside oneself will fail.

Happiness is an attitude, a state of mind, level of consciousness and degree of acceptance. All of these are subjective, internal experiences. Yes, externals can help us attain these internal states. However, dependence on external occurrences, including other people, means our happiness is dependent on factors beyond our control. That is not a healthy basis for long-term happiness.

We can and should be happy simply because we are alive. Our lives are partially the result of heredity, but mostly the result of our decisions. We choose to exercise and eat a balanced diet or not. We choose to have a strong social support network or not. We choose to be primarily optimistic or not. We also can choose happiness. If all we ever do is pursue it, we’ll end up wondering what went wrong.

(info from http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050619/LIVING/506190380/1007)