When I was doing the interviews last spring for my book “10 Quintessential Questions'' one of the questions was about success. What did it mean to my interviewees? In many conversations this brought me also to discuss happiness. Defining success is not easy, very personal and also depending on your educational background and culture.
Defining happiness is also a complex endeavor, as it can vary greatly from person to person and it will even depend, I believe, on the phase of your life. Happiness when you are 18 is not the same as when you are 38. Is happiness an emotion or a general state of mind for example, was something we talked about. When you interview many people for over an hour, you have to make a big selection in the things you keep in the book and what you need to take out.
While some may associate happiness with frequent positive emotions like joy and pride, others may find happiness in moments of satisfaction and appreciation for life's simple pleasures.
I think I can conclude that for me happiness is not necessarily the absence of negative emotions.
Even the happiest individuals experience sadness, anxiety, and anger at times. However, the key distinction lies in how they navigate and process these emotions.
I think navigating emotions is something we can learn.
I also believe happiness depends a lot on your health conditions and how you deal with setbacks, it is also about resilience.
Well-being is something you need to work on. Being happy is not a ‘forever’ state of mind.
It is not always easy but we have to find the courage to say goodbye to the things that are too much energy consuming and add the things that give you happiness, joy and a smile on your face.
I think the most important factor for your happiness is the people that surround you.
You can not choose all of them but be aware that a lot is in your hands.
