Habit of Happiness

Like many, my life has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows, and on one particular occasion it lead me on a journey to understanding happiness, and it has been particularly enlightening.

What exactly is happiness?

This question alone was a challenge.

⏩My journey started with understanding what happiness is NOT.

⏩It’s not found lounging on the couch—that’s perhaps peace.

⏩It’s not present in chronically stressful environments

⏩Nor found in inauthentic relationships or the depths of loneliness (though solitude is a different matter altogether).

I’ve always set myself audacious challenges, and people would comment, and assume, that I just like pain.

This never resonated with me.

🔍And exploring happiness from an evolutionary angle shed some light on this particular point, along with its role in social bonding, community building, and even survival—like the reinforcement of beneficial behaviours such as hunting or escaping predators. These insights led me to consider what emotionally engages us when we feel genuinely happy.

And I concluded that part of my love of goals, is not pain, it’s overcoming adversity.

And it has become a part of my core, to do hard things on purpose. So when life does get hard, I have the skills. And I’ve already experienced this multiple times in my life.

Happiness means

❤️Building relationships

🚀Embracing new experiences,

🔥Overcoming challenges.

🔍It’s about the joy in discovery and the satisfaction of growth.

What brings a smile to my face may differ vastly from what brings joy to yours, highlighting that happiness is indeed a moving target, not a one-size-fits-all.

Further reflection led me to conclude that happiness often springs from actively engaging in life’s many facets.

It thrives in environments where we feel valued and connected, and withers in places where we feel isolated or undervalued. This understanding has helped me focus on creating environments, both personally and professionally, that nurture these positive engagements.

So, what are some universal principles that underpin this elusive state?

💥Cultivating gratitude

💥Finding and pursuing a purpose (or do things with purpose)

💥Developing a growth mindset

💥Nurturing relationships in all facets of our lives

💥Practising generosity

And daily care for both physical and mental health

Each step in understanding and pursuing happiness has reinforced that it’s a deeply personal journey, yet grounded in universal needs and aspirations.

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