Happy by Design

Are you looking to live a life of happiness? If you answered yes, then you are looking at the question incorrectly. 

Happiness is an ethereal goal that constantly seems to evade most people. In fact, happiness is not a goal; rather, it’s a fleeting state of being that we drift in and out of. If we are lucky, we can relish the moments of happiness in our lives and capture them for later in our memories. 

The problem with seeking happiness as a goal is that it often relies on external circumstances. We look at others and compare ourselves to them and then our brain releases chemicals that boost or suppress our mood. And we call this happiness. 

Before we can look to living a life of happiness, it’s useful to review and see what stops us from being happy in the first place. By systematically removing these obstacles or mental models that we create for ourselves, we have a path by which we can move towards happiness, or at least a state of contentment.