I see quite a few people who come in and say they want to be happy…. trouble. Nothing is ever enough for them.
Anyone who lives his life looking for happiness ends up sick, addicted or kills himself directly or indirectly prematurely.
If you feel you get what you deserve you feel content.
If you feel you got more than you deserved you feel lucky (when positive), unlucky (when negative).
If you are hungry (can be food, sex, recognition whatever) the moment you get just enough you feel gratification and you may feel happy for 30 secs to one minute then it’s over.
After that the law of diminishing returns and sensory overload load kicks in. Another unit of what just gave you pleasure is no longer pleasurable and you begin to feel less happy then you were a few moments earlier.
The ones who end up reasonably content, fulfilled and even dare I say it happy more often than not, picked a life focussed on purpose and it was often values driven.
They are often artists, scientists even missionaries. Generally they focus on more than themselves. On something larger but in such a way that their own emotional and psychological needs are met in this pursuit.
They have learnt resilience like marathon runners so they don’t experience burnout.
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