The Pursuit of Happiness

The pursuit of happiness begins from early childhood; with tiny feet we run towards it.

In the early stages, it’s about being able to hug your parents and just lying in their presence. A minor achievement such as this leaves us overjoyed! But just as a plant grows and sheds its old leaves, so do we, attaching new meaning to our happiness. And just as the roots expand and require endless space, we too are caught in an endless spiral of dissatisfaction with the regular means and levels of happiness, wanting more and more.

The same old games and friends are now not worth it. And what does a person do? Find a new instrument of satisfaction in money and security. We work hard, break the cages of distractions, overcome our weaknesses, and even go to the extent of damaging our relationships. We do not realize the futility of the entire struggle until we reach point-bleak. The infamous peak where A-listers are pretentious and juniors hateful, but is this where we dreamt we’d be?

A profound realization hits the dreaded like a train. “Is this the happiness that I wanted?”, or “Why isn’t there anyone to celebrate it with?” Well, happiness is like a bird- the more you try chasing it, the more it eludes you.

In this final interval of rest and catharsis, one is in purgatory: the last silence has the power to change lives and bring out the final realization. The path we follow is not in pursuit of true happiness, but fulfilling materialistic happiness powered by discontentment. Contentment comes from being satisfied and thankful for who you are and where you find yourself in life. Always being unsatisfied with the current status and wanting more leaves us in a place with no respite.

Happiness is in reality, not wanting more, but enjoying the journey of achieving more, of being able to improve by conquering the weaknesses of your past selves and having your loved ones by your side, cheering wholeheartedly, not pretending to be happy. The genuine joy of life is in the process, not the result. Life is not a quest for pleasure or power, but a quest for meaning, and contrary to common understanding, happiness should not be an aim of our lives. Rather, we should look at it as a by-product of fulfilling actual goals.

At the same time, happiness shouldn’t be conditional upon the achievement of substantial life goals. Success is not happiness but happiness is undeniably a success. “Happiness is a simple state of the mind. It comes from being loving, it comes from being Kind”. The joy from breathing in the petrichor, watching the peacock unfurl its majestic feathers, a quiet and relaxing walk by the wooded creek, and the enthralling enigma of the moon and the sun fills this human vessel with unending happiness unlike the passing joy from the expeditious life.

Happiness is a natural phenomenon, and misery is your own creation. Self-awareness is the only answer to this complex problem; the key to long-lasting happiness. Being aware of your emotions and their respective place and timing provides insight into the reality of life.

The human mind has the power to change the personality and discover powerful positive characteristics to fight back. “Awareness” of the mind and how to direct its thoughts, perceptions, beliefs, and emotions, is a doorway to the new avenue of infinite possibilities.

- Abhinav Sardesai