What is Happiness?

Most of us future project happiness in that we believe: “when this happens or that comes about THEN I will be happy”. Living in the future is squandering the opportunities of what happiness may be possible today. Waiting for life to finally fall into place so that I can be happy is a delusion.

A study was done with terminal people to find out what their greatest regret is at the end of life. The common factor was the limited time spent with loved ones and expressing love to family and friends. The regret of working too much and not living and loving life enough. No level of achievement or recognition will bring about happiness. A client recently spoke about watching a big table of Italians laughing and eating and drinking together that demonstrated happiness to him. Living in the present and enjoying the company of family and friends is one way of infusing the happiness energy into the soul. How much effort are we putting into bringing that about in our busy lives? We are so self-involved and self-focused that we miss out on the living. In the blink of an eye another year has gone by….

“Happiness, is the general Zeitgeist. Happiness as we understand it in the modern world of neuroscience and social science is basically a combination of three phenomena. The first is ENJOYMENT. The second is SATISFACTION. And the third is PURPOSE. Enjoyment means pleasure plus elevation. So it’s not just pure pleasure, it’s actually being able to enjoy things in a way that you understand what you’re enjoying. Satisfaction is the reward for a job well done, or a goal met. Purpose, which is maybe the most paradoxical of all, comes from actually understanding the coherence and meaning of YOUR life. The great irony is that to have happiness, you need purpose, and to have purpose, you need sacrifice and pain. This actually entails some unhappiness. So when people are going through their lives trying to avoid unhappiness, what they inadvertently do is that they wind up avoiding a lot of their own potential for happiness.” Arthur Brooks

My conclusion and belief is that our life and living purpose (all individuals regardless of your birth advantage or disadvantage) is to be the best version of YOU. This requires doing THE WORK on ourselves as painful and uncomfortable as that may be. Only by working through our emotional baggage can we come out on the other side with gratitude for being alive and live a life where we experience happiness every day.

Life coaching is a practical outcome talk therapy.

Neuro-Linguistics (NLP), Modern Applied Psychology and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

For more information contact: Karin Engman @ Mind Wellness 082 7246985

NOW @ MIZPAH (opp JJ School) AND ALSO @ HUMMINGBIRD (home office) - Ermelo

Video/Voice Call sessions on request

Published Author: “A Path of Choices”