The Pursuit of Happiness

"Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness..." This famous phrase from the U.S. Declaration of Independence has made me pause. How does one pursue happiness? More importantly, how does one achieve happiness?

First of all, let's look at what happiness is. According to Webster's Dictionary, happiness is...

1. State of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.
2. Emotions experienced when in a state of well-being.

Wow, that didn't really help much, did it?

Let's look up well-being.

Well-being - The state of being healthy, happy, or prosperous.

So, I guess that happiness is the emotions experienced when you are healthy, happy, or prosperous.

At this time, let's focus on the happy part. (Mind out of the gutter please). How do you get truly happy?

I looked through quite a few quotes to find some inspiration. Here is what Brother David Steindl-Rast has to say...

"Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more."

I believe that Brother David has the key to happiness laid out perfectly for us here. You must be fully grateful for your present and your past to be truly filled with happiness.

This brings up another interesting thought... If you are totally happy and fully content, why would you want to do anything else? Would you become a slug?

By the way, before we get to that, there are two kinds of things that bring happiness. (I am changing focus from outside in for the moment and then we'll go back to inside out). There is the thing that makes us happy.

1. Those things that make us happy that are not really good for us. This would be our bad habits (i.e. alcohol, spending, gambling, smoking, etc.) They make you feel good, but they are not really good for you.

2. Those things that make us happy that are good for us. These may be a compliment, a hug from a loved one, a smile, accomplishing a goal, etc. They make you feel good and they are good for you.

Okay, back to what motivates you when you are totally happy...

It is true, unhappiness is a great motivator. This is about avoiding pain. How do I no longer experience unhappiness? The down side to this type of motivation is that it creates a roller coaster effect. For instance, I feel unhappy so I do something to avoid this unhappiness. I find contentment until I am unhappy again. Repeat.

Another motivator is purpose. This is the pleasure driven motivator. Can you see how this type of motivation allows you to be happy and still move forward? I am happy. How can I create more happiness in the world?

Here is how James Openheim describes this...

"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet."

In summary, the pursuit of happiness is being truly happy through the practice of gratitude while unfolding your purpose (displaying your natural gift) onto the world.

I'll end with this Benjamin Franklin quote.

"The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself."