What leads to happiness?

Is it the collection of ‘things’? Or is it really possible to find happiness?

I believe that you will agree that every person wants to be happy. I also believe that the search for happiness bonds us as human beings. Sadly, I see that we live in a world that seems tailor-made for unhappiness. We have a world with disease, injustice, war, death, and adversity of every kind.

Many in the medical profession such as psychologists, and psychiatrists, and numerous other thinkers believe that the cause of most unhappiness occurs because we have such a restricted understanding of our purpose as humans.

This became very obvious to me when I heard this statement; ‘Why would she leave all of this?’ It was a person stating that she didn’t understand why her daughter-in-law left her son just before their 25^th wedding anniversary.

Yes, it was obvious that over their years of marriage that they had accumulated a lot of things. And if it was true that collecting stuff during a marriage lead to happiness then we should have very few or no divorces in North America, isn’t it?

So what leads to happiness?

I know that one level of happiness is commitment and contribution to others. Just consider the story I just typed out. Yes, this couple had all the stuff they needed and then some. But she left! Can you see how commitment and contribution to her from her husband could have made a difference?

Is this something you can take into your own relationship?

Would this raise your happiness level?

Would this lead to more happiness?