Is Life a Happiness Quest?

If it makes you happy is an expression we hear all the time, but is life a happiness quest? I don't think it's a black and white issue, ultimately I do believe we're meant to be happy, we're designed to crave that feeling, but I don't think we always know what makes us happy. Sometimes instant, but short lived gratification deceives us, sometimes we base our decisions completely on fleeting emotions and sometimes we do have to put happiness aside for the sake of doing the right thing.




I think life is meant to be wonderful and full of abundance, but clearly that isn't the state most of us are living - which is a slightly different conversation I won't get in to here. I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to be happy or doing things that make you happy, we're only humans, we're not robotic martyrs. But I do think we are blessed to be a blessing. If you're happy, make sure someone else is, share that happiness with others!

I think there should be a balance, because if happiness is your only goal, you're going to live a selfish life. There are clearly times in life where you shouldn't go through with a decision because 'it makes you happy'. The fact that sometimes we don't have a clue what will actually make us happy adds another complication.
Take for example a married person who is choosing to have an affair, because they put themselves into a position where they've allowed their emotions to rule over them. The right thing to do is clearly not to have an affair, even though the person may think it will make them happy. But will it?  Who cares if it does? That is not the point. This type of decision is at the expense of the marriage partner and what we know to be moral. Although an extreme example, it is a prime example of someone choosing their feelings over what is right and pursuing what they think will bring happiness, but almost certainly won't, especially for the others involved.
What would happen if the person put themselves out of temptations way, stayed faithful, worked on their marriage and ended up having an even better relationship with the person they promised to commit to in the first place? This would only arrive if the person put what they thought would make them happy aside for this particular situation.

We've grown up in a culture that we should let others, particularly amongst friends, do what we know to be wrong if it makes them happy. That isn't happiness and that is not friendship!

As I have written this, it has lead me to realise that maybe the complete pursuit of happiness is how we should live, if we always knew the right source of happiness? The previous two examples display putting off instant gratification and stopping someone from doing something we know could not ultimately make them happy. Another complication to this is that some people do feel genuine happiness by harming others. I believe we should aim for what is right first and our happiness second, but keeping in mind that the two often go hand in hand.

I personally don't think the ultimate purpose of life is to be happy, but I do believe that being happy is part of it and we all have the choice to be happy today. I know that some of us are in difficult situations, some more serious than others, but remember that this too shall pass and if you can try to look for the positive in your life, take that opportunity to now. Think of 5 things you are truly grateful for right now and I promise you'll boost your mood almost immediately.

What are your thoughts?

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