the key to happiness is not a mystery…

the key to happiness is not a mystery…

via Forbes by Peter Ubel

Happiness doesn’t always come easily. Some people seem naturally happy, like they inherited the right gene or were born into the right circumstances. Many other people struggle to find happiness. Perhaps even more people hope to become happier than they already are. But what kind of plan should people follow if they are hoping to become happier? Or will any kind of plan merely make it harder to thrive?

It might sound silly to plan for happiness. But many of the decisions we make in life are based on our desire for happiness. Some decisions are based on the desire for immediate emotional pleasures – our choice of desserts after a good meal, for example. Other choices are based on the desire for long-term happiness, whether that reflects primarily emotional well-being (the amount of positive versus negative mood we experience) or the pursuit of meaning in life (such as the sense of satisfaction with one’s accomplishments).

Not only do we base many of our decision on the pursuit of happiness, we often make elaborate plans to become happier. We apply to college or graduate school, hoping those experiences will make us happier. We marry or divorce based, in no small part, on whether we think we’d be happier with or without the person in question.

Does any of this planning work?
…to find out, keep reading HERE