Choosing Happiness from Within
Happiness is a treasure that every human being seeks. And fortunately, it is not something reserved for a lucky few. It is something that every person can experience. The problem is not the absence of happiness in our lives — the problem is our misunderstanding of it. Because when we don’t understand what happiness truly is, we end up searching for it in the wrong places.
In my previous post, I shared several questions about happiness. And those questions are essential. Because before we can experience something deeply, we must first understand it.
If you know about something but don’t truly understand it, you won’t know how to relate to it. Think about learning to ride a bike. You can read about it, watch videos, and listen to explanations — but until you actually understand it through experience, you can’t really ride.
Happiness works the same way. We are now beginning to question the old story we were told:
That happiness lives somewhere “out there.”
That it depends on success, money, relationships, achievements, or perfect circumstances. Yes, we have all felt happy because of external things. But deep inside, we want something more stable. Something that doesn’t disappear so easily.
That is why we ask questions. That is why you are here. Because you want something real.
“Happiness is the only sanction of life; where happiness fails, existence remains a mad and lamentable experiment.” – George Santayana
According to the dictionary, happiness means “the feeling of being happy,” and to be happy means “to feel delighted or glad about something.” Its etymological meaning is “good fortune.” But in real life, happiness is far more complex.
Ask ten people what happiness means to them, and you will get ten different answers. Some will resonate with you. Others won’t. And that’s normal. Our ideas about happiness are shaped by our culture, family, experiences, and environment. We absorb beliefs without even noticing:
“Money brings happiness.”
“Success brings happiness.”
“Status brings happiness.”
“Being admired brings happiness.”
So we start chasing these things. And sometimes we get them. And then… we still feel empty. So we chase more. And the cycle continues. That is where the confusion begins.
“Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response.” – Mildred Barthel
True happiness cannot be given to you by the outside world. It has to be discovered inside you. You may now be thinking: “Okay… but what is happiness then?”
The honest answer is: It is different for everyone.
You have to define it for yourself. Not based on what society says. Not based on what others expect. Not based on comparison. But based on what gives your life meaning. What makes you feel alive. What connects you to your values. What helps you grow. What brings you peace.
Your heart already knows the answer. You just have to learn how to listen. The recipe for long-term happiness does not live in the past. It does not live in the future. It does not live in “one day, when…”
It lives in this moment.
Happiness is not a permanent emotional state. It is not feeling good all the time. It is a way of relating to life. It is choosing, again and again, to show up with awareness, gratitude, and courage — even when life is difficult. It is choosing how you respond. It is choosing what you focus on. It is choosing what matters.
We all see the world through different lenses. And those lenses are shaped by our thoughts, beliefs, and experiences. When we learn to look at life with openness, compassion, and responsibility, something changes. We suffer less unnecessarily. We appreciate more. We live more fully.
True happiness is not about having a perfect life. It is about having a meaningful one. And that is something no one can take from you. Except you. So choose wisely.
Choose presence over distraction.
Choose values over comparison.
Choose growth over avoidance.
Choose gratitude over entitlement.
Happiness already lives inside you. Your task is not to chase it. Your task is to create the conditions for it to grow 🧡