One thing that we don't talk about enough in our discussions of "how to be happy" is the importance of having a clear life purpose and meaning.
Existential philosophy and every major psychotherapy approach regards happiness as a byproduct of a generally meaningful and purposeful adult life. It makes perfect sense when you think about it: It's relatively quite easy to be "happy" with little things, but the problem is, it's cheap dopamine hits and they don't last: We're "happy" when we're eating our favorite food, but that's only about 20 minutes, we're "happy" when we're listening to our favorite song, but that's about 5-6 minutes maximum. And the list goes on.
True and lasting happiness doesn't really come from pursuing these external, fleeting dopamine hits. It comes from having a clear life purpose and trying to fill our lives with meaningful things that add to the greater good in our lives (and in the lives of those around us). For example, saving animals, helping children, feeding the poor, teaching people new things, creating art, taking care of our bodies, taking care of our families, etc. That's where the real happiness is at.
So, if you've been struggling with being happy and staying happy, it could be a great idea to look at your values, life purpose, and how much you're working and living towards meaningful tasks in your daily activities.
Existential philosophy and every major psychotherapy approach regards happiness as a byproduct of a generally meaningful and purposeful adult life. It makes perfect sense when you think about it: It's relatively quite easy to be "happy" with little things, but the problem is, it's cheap dopamine hits and they don't last: We're "happy" when we're eating our favorite food, but that's only about 20 minutes, we're "happy" when we're listening to our favorite song, but that's about 5-6 minutes maximum. And the list goes on.
True and lasting happiness doesn't really come from pursuing these external, fleeting dopamine hits. It comes from having a clear life purpose and trying to fill our lives with meaningful things that add to the greater good in our lives (and in the lives of those around us). For example, saving animals, helping children, feeding the poor, teaching people new things, creating art, taking care of our bodies, taking care of our families, etc. That's where the real happiness is at.
So, if you've been struggling with being happy and staying happy, it could be a great idea to look at your values, life purpose, and how much you're working and living towards meaningful tasks in your daily activities.
