Many people believe that happiness is having fun at a party, the excitement of new experiences, buying a shiny new car or phone, the thrill of a roller-coaster ride at a theme park, or the delights of a fine meal.
These are all wonderful experiences to be cherished and cultivated but they are not happiness. These experiences are the definition of pleasure. They are experiences to have and let pass. A meal to savor, then digest. A party to enjoy then let wind down.
Pleasure is temporary and fleeting. It continues to please us and as we have these joyful experiences all the time, our brains adapt and turn pleasure into routine. Once that happens, it takes even more to make us feel good again. Chasing pleasure is not happiness.
So, if happiness is not the same thing as pleasure, then what is happiness? Numerous scientists, philosophers and researchers have tried to nail down an exact definition of happiness for number of years; one common theme they all tend to agree is: “Happiness is when your life fulfills your needs.”
In other words, happiness comes when you feel satisfied and fulfilled. Happiness is a feeling of contentment, that life is just as it should be. Perfect happiness, enlightenment, comes when you have all of your needs satisfied.
So, the next logical question is, “What are my needs?” This is a complex question to answer and there is no single, one-size-fits-all answer. Our individual needs vary based on lot of factors such as our genetics, how we are raised, and our life experiences. The complex combination is what makes each of us unique, both in our exact needs, and in every aspect of what makes us the person we are.
Although we may each be complex, we are all human and we all share common human needs on the inside. Where we differ is exactly how strongly we feel of those needs. If we keep our needs simple or do not feel strongly about each of them, it is more likely that we fulfill them making us happier; while on the other hand, if we feel strongly about each need, it may become hard to fulfill each one of them and we are less likely to be happy.
Comments