We can find happiness right in our own home, our workplace, in school, in the company of our friends, etc. It is up to us to find the ways and means to achieve that happiness each of us seek and long for. However, it is essential to recognize that there is no one absolute way to find happiness. People have different ideas about the ways of achieving happiness.

The following classifications are perceived by many people as sources of happiness:

(1) Family and friends

(2) Wealth

(3) Position/Rank

(4) Educational Achievement

(5) Fame (i.e. politics, arts, sports)

(1) HAPPINESS IN FAMILY AND FRIENDS

The very first place where happiness dwells is right in our own homes. We find happiness just by being with our family – our parents, spouse, children and grandchildren. In fact, they are our source of strength and inspiration. Having a harmonious home life gives us happiness – one that we truly cherish and treasure.

True friends are also a source of happiness. The support we get from them goes a long way in helping us to get by in times of troubles. Somehow, friends complete our life.

2) HAPPINESS IN WEALTH

A lot of people correlate material goods with contentment. . Almost everywhere in the world, people are preoccupied in the acquisition of wealth. They look at wealth as the secret to happiness. To some, wealth and happiness are synonymous.

Not that we should despise the rich and the famous or discourage others from aspiring to be so. There is nothing wrong with dreaming of becoming rich just as long as we acknowledge that wealth has limitations. Furthermore, our priorities must be clear from the very start. Clearly, we must know what should rank first in order of priorities lest we spend our days in this world meaninglessly and without hope. The pursuit of material riches should not be our top priority. How many times have we heard of people with millions of money but are willing to give it away just to have peace of mind? They are constantly gripped by fear, that is, fear of losing their wealth through robbery or theft. They also fear for their life and the lives of those they love. These fears may even lead to sleepless nights, stress, tension, mental anguish, heart attack and death.

Understanding and accepting that happiness has nothing to do with the accumulation of wealth is perhaps the most liberating realization we can ever come to.

3) HAPPINESS IN RANK AND POSITION

Can we achieve real happiness through the attainment of high rank or position in society?

To many, the answer is “yes.” For most people, having a high-ranking position is synonymous to power. Such persons would have the power to rule and lead. If they become “good leaders,” they would be able to lead based on sound moral values and good work ethics. In return, they would earn their people’s trust, obedience, support, loyalty and cooperation. Eventually, they would find happiness and satisfaction doing their job.

However, any person who is entrusted with authority and abuses it would definitely be responsible for misuse of power. His position would only bring misery, as he has to face issues such as corruption and problems like loss of public trust, public revolt, coups d’etat, etc.

History can speak for itself. How many unwanted rulers, kings, emperors, and presidents have been overthrown? A good example is former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the country for 20 long years, but his reign came to an unfortunate end. He was “thrown” out of his own country by his own people and spent years thereafter in exile.

4) EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Can earning the highest level of education such as doctorate degrees give happiness? For people who derive happiness from learning, knowledge is power. Some successful people have attained high levels of education.

However, we hear about professional people who are successful in their own fields and yet feel miserable and depressed because they feel that something is missing in their life. We hear of doctors being sued for malpractice and negligence, of judges committing suicide, and of many other sad stories that are hard to believe but are actually happening to professional people. Does education really guarantee happiness?

5) HAPPINESS IN FAME

Fame is also associated with happiness. In sports and various careers, it is translated to victory, winning, and attaining the status of a celebrity.  Are famous men and women happy?

Let’s take the case of sportsmen. They practically devote their whole lifetime practicing to be the best at their chosen sport. However, sports can be so stressful, especially when they are brought to the extreme. Imagine the kind of pressure sportsmen have to go through to win over a game. To cope with high expectations, they take prohibited drugs to have the stamina and endurance required in their chosen field!

Consider the despair, embarrassment, shame, and ridicule that they have to endure whenever they lose a game! So, let us ask ourselves – can a life exposed to such pressures and humiliation be a truly happy life?

For many, the future is bleak. The continuing escalation of prices, natural and man-made calamities, terrorism, local and global strife, family problems, poverty, criminality, famines and other crises do bring desperation and hopelessness.

Can we still find happiness in such a depressing situation? Yes, it is still possible to find happiness in such dire predicaments! What happens around us is largely beyond our control, but the way we choose to react is within our control. In short, even with all the difficulties in life, we can still achieve happiness; as long as we want and choose to make it happen. True enough, life is what we make it!  Isn’t this a wonderful discovery?

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