Here is an article from Psychology Today that really clarifies the heart of the matter….
The Problem with Happiness
Here are the points that I found most valuable:
- Happiness is not just a sign that things are going well, the experience of happiness helps produce positive outcomes.
- But there is a not-so-hidden problem. The United States is obsessed with happiness (same goes for a number of other countries in the world). There are cultural pressures to be happy.
- As people place more importance on being happy, they become more unhappy and depressed. The pressure to be happy makes people less happy.
- People putting the greatest emphasis on being happy reported 50% less frequent positive emotions, 35% less satisfaction about their life, and 75% more depressive symptoms than people that had their priorities elsewhere.
- The pressure to be happy is everywhere. Well-meaning scientists, writers, therapists, consultants, and media personalities ramp up the importance of being happy and thus, the value of being a happy person
- Nobody buys just one happiness book.
- Be in the present moment, be open and curious, and devote your life to what matters. Do this and you are liable to catch happiness along the way (or you might not). There are better things to live for than the pursuit of a perfect mix of thoughts and feelings inside our brain.