“Happiness can not be pursued, it must ensue.” – Viktor Frankl

We cannot find true happiness looking for it, we have to do things, create things, engage in things that bring happiness.

The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan Haidt, has about 250 pages full of ideas on what makes us happy.  Although it’s a little old for a book of this nature – published in 2006 – it takes current research from the fields of psychology and sociology, compared to the ancient wisdom texts from a variety of cultures to share some apparent universal truths about happiness:

• Each one of us is a divided self – sometimes even divided against ourselves – especially when we are engaged to conduct ourselves in ways we know not to be helpful or beneficial.  By recognizing and perhaps even solving for this division, we will be happier.
• Sometimes happiness is as simple as changing our mind.  Although for many of us, that is not always so simple.
• We are wired for vengeance, even when we know it won’t make us happy.  Rewiring that desire will help us to achieve happiness though.
• We really like to be right and make others feel wrong – and that doesn’t make either of us happy.
• There really is an equation for happiness – H = S + C + V   where H is Happiness, S is our biological “set point”, C is the conditions of life that we have little control over, and V is the voluntary actions we do to achieve happiness.
• Love and attachments can lead to happiness.  They can also lead to great sadness if handled wrongly.
• Adversity, to a certain degree, can lead to greater happiness once it is conquered.
• Being virtuous for virtue’s sake can lead to happiness.  Being virtuous with the intent that it will make you happy will lead to emptiness.
• Spirituality – with or without believing in God – can lead to elevated happiness.

The book concludes with a discussion of balancing all these ideas in life – however, my life has been so out of balance, I haven’t had a chance to read that part yet!  Hopefully, I’ll get there soon.  If any of these ideas touch you, I definitely recommend picking up this book for some summer reading.  If you are interested in diving deeper into your own happiness, check out the updated counseling and coaching opportunities I am offering.  Of course, if you want to learn more about that first statement by Viktor Frankl, you might like The Meaning Project as well.

I guess what I am saying is, if any of this interests you, I am HAPPY to walk with you down the path to better understanding!