There are over two billion Google searches for \u201chappiness\u201d and over four billion for \u201cI want to be happy.\u201d You can decide what that means if it means anything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Merriam-Webster, happiness ranges from a state of well-being and contentment to a pleasurable or satisfying experience. No wonder there\u2019s a relentless pursuit of happiness. It\u2019s even written in the Declaration of Independence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Happiness is complicated because it means something different to everyone. And how can we know if the \u201cthing\u201d we\u2019re pursuing will make us happy when we \u201ccatch\u201d it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People have had a lot to say about happiness through the centuries. And since it\u2019s hard to find, is fleeting, or is difficult to sustain, people often disparage it. Perhaps it\u2019s because we expect happiness to provide something that it lacks inherently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Happiness can be a range of feelings, from pleasure to the kind of security we assume that wealth and riches will provide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Could it be that we put the cart before the horse \u2013 that before we can feel happy, we need to experience something else first?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes. It\u2019s called fulfillment. Fulfillment paves the way for happiness. We can have everything, and our lives can be amazing in every way, but if we\u2019re not fulfilled we\u2019ll never be happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Feelings come and go. We like to experience bliss, joy, contentment, peace, security, and excitement. But if our emotional response, what we feel, is tied to an external event, happiness will be temporary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If something \u201cout there,\u201d something external, makes us happy, then sooner or later, something \u201cout there\u201d will make us feel afraid, insecure, anxious, angry, or worried. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If happiness is based on something we gain or achieve, what happens if\/when we lose that thing? Or, worse yet, what if those greatly anticipated feelings of happiness wear off soon after the object of pursuit is within our grasp? What are we to do or pursue once our feelings of excitement over that shiny new car or big house wear off, or the big promotion isn\u2019t as satisfying as we imagined?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If we need something to \u201cbe happy,\u201d will we ever truly be happy? If we\u2019re not enough without something, we\u2019ll never be enough when we finally get it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the challenges is looking at other people who have more of the very things we dream of having; they seem so happy! So we do the math and believe that we\u2019ll be happy once we have those things, too. But since when has comparing ourselves to other people ever been a good idea? People only show the \u201cgood\u201d stuff they\u2019re going through; the real story is usually hidden behind the splashy smiles <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The only person worthy of comparing yourself to is you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before we go further, there\u2019s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying material possessions or success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But feelings of contentment and fulfillment happen when we invest our lives in what truly matters, like living to make the world a better place for others. When we organize our life around our core values<\/a>, we experience fulfillment, which leads to feelings of peace, joy, contentment, and happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our core values, which are part of our inner world, drive and guide us, not the events and happenings of our external world. Our values empower us to take charge of our emotions, thoughts, plans, and desires. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s happening to us daily isn\u2019t nearly as important as what kind of person we\u2019re becoming daily; the former is external, but the latter is internal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s called having an internal locus of control<\/a>, which creates personal strength, resilience, and feelings of empowerment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Happiness is fleeting because we usually tie it to external circumstances that can change from moment to moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fulfillment and contentment are driven internally. You and you alone decide what matters most to you and why it\u2019s important to invest your life in creating it, while experiencing deeper levels of fulfillment along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s keep this section short for the purposes of this article. Contribution is the pathway to contentment and fulfillment. It\u2019s giving your time, energy, and focus to that which truly matters and makes a difference. Avoid the shifting sands of the ever-fleeting feelings of happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some ways to find contentment and add meaning to your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Socrates<\/a> said to his students, \u201cKnow Thyself.\u201d Knowing yourself is good, but it\u2019s even better to decide what kind of human you want to become and then live your life to become that kind of person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Become a person of value and worth, someone who\u2019s selfless, generous, and compassionate. And then live every day as if you\u2019re already that person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Contentment and fulfillment aren\u2019t about having more stuff so you can finally be happy. Satisfaction doesn\u2019t come from a nicer car, popularity, or a bigger house, as nice as those things are. Fulfillment, happiness and contentment come from becoming more, which takes a bit of soul searching to figure out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Helping someone else to have a better life is one of the surest pathways to enjoying a life of fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to science, helping others triggers the release of \u2018feel-good<\/a>\u2018 hormones in our brains, such as dopamine and serotonin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, whether it\u2019s helping a friend move or volunteering at the local soup kitchen, you\u2019re bringing joy to other people, making their lives better in some small way. You\u2019ll feel fulfilled and enjoy feelings of happiness as a result. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Create a social circle of positive, high-value, quality people who have an uplifting influence on you. Belonging to a healthy community fosters feelings of contentment and fulfillment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n All too often today, people suffer from feelings of isolation and disconnection. Belonging to a healthy social community you can always talk to and who supports you is a source of encouragement and strength when you feel worried or stressed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Use gratitude<\/a> to stay focused on what\u2019s going right with your life instead of what\u2019s going wrong with it, and to stay connected to your purpose and the greater good. Gratitude also improves well-being and encourages positive emotions, fostering feelings of happiness and contentment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gratitude keeps you focused on what you have. Even when having setbacks, you stay focused on blessings and opportunities. Gratitude reminds you that this is the beginning and keeps you from focusing on your losses. Practicing gratitude every day primes you for inspired action \u2013 action that\u2019s organized around your core values. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the end of the day, if we need something to \u201cfinally be happy,\u201d we\u2019ll never really be happy when we \u201cfinally\u201d get it. If you pursue fulfillment and contentment, you\u2019ll experience feelings of happiness along the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are over two billion Google searches for \u201chappiness\u201d and over four billion for \u201cI want to be happy.\u201d You can decide what that means if it means anything. According to Merriam-Webster, happiness ranges from a state of well-being and contentment to a pleasurable or satisfying experience. No wonder there\u2019s a relentless pursuit of happiness….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6735,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[387],"aware":[1752,1756],"class_list":["post-6713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","tag-happiness","aware-attitude","aware-existence"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFinding Fulfillment\u2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Decide What Kind of Human You Want to Become<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Help Others<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Enjoy Social Connections<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Be Grateful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n