Quest for Happiness

Life is a complex dynamic that we live daily. The ultimate goal for anyone of us is to achieve this state of what we call happiness. Over the past year, I have considered this idea quite a bit. I have had quite the paradigm shift on what is really meant by the state of "happiness".

I have this idea that happiness is actually a synthesis of three spheres of life. The first is the personal sphere. Within this sphere is where all of our personal dealings our. The most important dynamic here is what we choose to do when no one is around. There most also be positive balance here as well with recreational time to ourselves and time to evaluate our true position in life. Often, I feel that one of the reasons people don't lead happy lives is because of problems within this sphere...it is the foundation of everything else. This is because our personal realm is the skeleton framework of our whole lives. This is where our life plans, desires, and philosophy reside. If no of this is existent, then our life does not have any direction.

The second sphere is our spiritual realm. This is also a very foundational realm to our existence. It is here where we have a connection to our superior creator. There is also a strong network of belief systems which carry us forward in this life on a path in which we hope there was life before and after this one. It also serves as a moral code in which we live according to in this life. It is the view of something greater, such as perfection, that serves as a primary driving force for us to continue on. This sphere accentuates characteristics such as motivation, drive, peace, patience, and a desire to push forward for something greater.

The third sphere serves as a mechanism of survival in this life, our professional sphere. It is here where we develop and make something out of ourselves. Some would say this is how we "make a name for ourselves". Hopefully, it is withing this sphere that we develop qualities which ultimately can be utilized for the greater good of humanity. However, intrinsically it is here where we accomplish self-worth and dominate the perfection of something complex and challenging. To me, in order to achieve true happiness through this sphere, we do not just have some random job that serves no greater function. The key here is finding and establishing a profession which parallels our own person life philosophy. It is something which we have a passion for. There is a challenging problem that is observable that we want to reach out and solve in our lifetime. In other words, we make our profession our life's work.

Ultimatley, these three spheres have to run in harmony with each other. There has to be balance between them all before true happiness is achieved. I have made the observation in my short life that when one of these domains struggles, then my ultimate happiness diminishes. Oh how great would it be to dominate all three? I believe this could happen if you pay attention to each and work to perfect each individual domain. Keeping your eye on the target of happiness can help us achieve the goal. But the question may be posed as to what exactly is happiness? What do we mean by this term?

I do not think that words can do this state any justice. However, I will attempt to illustrate what happiness is to me. For myself, happiness is a state where there is no anxiety. There is no worry about anything. All threats to your ultimate well being have been eliminated. You can wake up each morning and not have to worry if there is money to pay the bills. You do not have to worry if someone loves you, or if you have a comfortable place to stay. You have a focus on a greater good, which typically is humanity in general. There is no doubt that your eyes are set on the beautiful nature of this life all around us. There is a deep appreciation for human life and for the people who are in your life. You have a genuine interest in getting to know the true character of others. Relationships turn from materialistic to intimate. There is a movement from the fractured elements of life to achieving the oneness of life, love, and happiness.

The challenge with my definition of happiness is that one must overcome the natural characteristics of man. There is a lot of work that has to take place before any of this could come close to happening. First, I think you have to get your life organized and on a road which isn't as windy as life tends to be. This means taking charge and you controlling life, not letting life control you. Secondly, there has to be a major paradigm shift within the person. What I mean by this is that the perspectives we typically have must change. We can't let things offend us or worry us as they once did. We have to see life through a new lens if you will. We must always remember that perception is just that, its perception, its not a true reflection of reality. We are the ones who contribute to creating this state of happiness. The people in my life I know to be the most "happy" are typically people who don't let things bother them.

This is just a glimpse into what my views of happiness are. It is something I strive for daily in my life and long for. Don't let life pass you by. We only get the experience of mortal life once, we must not waste time! Do your best to be your best!