Pursuit.

Happiness...

The concept of happiness is very vague.

Inevitably as humans, we seek out happiness in things, situations, achievements and others. We are never taught what happiness really is. Some assimilate what they observe whilst watching their parents growing up (whether healthy or self-destructive) but still we are left to figure out by ourselves what our own happiness is dependent on.

Some find their happiness in providing happiness for others. This is one of the key ingredients in selflessness, empathy, the ability to love and be understanding. Also, might lead you into toxic friendships and relationships.

Some find happiness in setting goals for their lives and achieving them. Sometimes ends in a deep sustained feeling of contentment, sometimes ends in disillusion...then you're back to square one.

Some find happiness in learning and exploring. With this in someways you can never get bored: books are limitless, the number of places you can travel to are nearly endless and the list goes on. It is an infinite search, the world is our playground but, do you get to see enough, do you ever see it all?

Some find happiness in encounters, music, parties or by artificially stimulating the "feeling" of joy. Sometimes this can provide a healthy balance in life. After all, all work and no play makes Jane a dull girl but solely...this can feel uncomfortably repetitive, an endless cycle.

In all of these, the one reccurring issue is that happiness is a temporary feeling. None of the ways to achieve it is without it's flaws, some are healthier than others but all journeys to the same end.

In the most simple sense, happiness is the purest high and is not exempted from the concept of addiction. The world as we know it already revolves around the pursuit of happiness. Pursuing an ideal for our lives, sometimes achievable and sometimes unreachable.

If it makes you happy enough, you must be doing it right. At the end of the day, peace of mind is all we need.

Parting question: When does happiness really come from within?