There is a huge premium on happiness.
The pursuit of happiness.
You can't buy happiness.
I just want to be happy.
They lived happily ever after.
These are all great aims to reach for.
It is integral that things are in place for this to happen.
Functional and engaging relationships.
A job you may love.
A healthy body and a fairly secure sense of financial stability.
These things just mentioned can take a barrage of shelling and come under attack.
Thus turning what would be a major component of your happiness into something less so.
Now if you have 4 out of the 7 or 3 out of the 5 or maybe even 6 for 6,
You're in good form to be happy.
I've met very contented people in my life and some just have a warm nature about themselves.
Maybe their strong religious belief system,
Perhaps their sense of gratitude or maybe just even keeled personalities that allow them to smell the flowers.
Some are gifted with this ability and nature.
Others have to work harder for this.
Some people are deep down very happy.
But their day to day stressors and anxieties get the better of them and mask a lot of that.
I used to have this issue until I compartmentalized my stressful time management and lifestyle and saw how it was making me irritable at times.
There was no mal-intent.
It was just the compounding of self-induced pressure and insufficient tools and outlets to offload that.
I recognize when people are just stressed and they come off as insensitive.
I'm not giving out a free pass.
Some are sweeter and kinder than those insensitive ones,
But ironically less happy.
So happiness is a funny concept and it does get the reputation for being the most sought after emotion because it feels good and it's fuzzy and warm.
It's pleasant and coddling and smooth,
Relaxing,
Familiar.
All of these attributes.
I do believe it's good to do things,
Interact in a way and position yourself as much as you can to have a more perpetual state of happiness.
But here's the reveal.
Happiness is the less developed mini version of fulfillment.
There is some crossover between these two as well as some confusion over these two concepts.
Fulfillment goes much deeper and is more lasting.
Whereas happiness is fleeting.
Happiness can be knocked off its chair much easier than fulfillment.
This is considering that the investments of fulfillment have been deposited,
Activated and are current.
Fulfillment can be a result of your service to others,
Your impact and the meaningful exchanges you offer and give to others,
Your purpose in life,
Your dedication to yourself,
Your craft,
The people around you,
Your ability to grow and learn and apprise yourself of everything you can be.
This is fulfilling.
I have read that fulfillment is not dependent on your emotions.
This is a great way to single it out.
You can be deeply implanted in a goal and work against the grain of resistance and still have that sense of fulfillment.
I can't even keep track of the many things I have done that have pained me in the process while at the same time having that feeling of fulfillment.
Most of my long distance running lines up with this.
I know I am doing something beneficial for my body.
Somatic breath work is the same.
So back to happiness.
Does it have that same luster now?
I certainly don't advocate being miserable,
But I'm not putting all of my life savings into happiness either.
Fulfillment gets my vote because that goes straight to my soul.
Happiness is wonderful for memories and consistently charmful moods.
Fulfillment is optimum for a life completely invested in and seen to its highest limits.
