Stop Chasing Unbridled Happiness, Chase This Instead

It can be confusing, truthfully, how much positivity and inspiration exists. Some encourage us to chase money, some encourage us to chase success, and some encourage us to chase freedom.

But what most of it directs back to, is that once you achieve this ‘certain thing’, you will be happy.

That if I have X amount of money, happiness will follow. If you finally have the relationship of your dreams, happiness is lurking around the corner.  But what exactly is it we are chasing? Is it this perfect image of happiness that society has shoved down our throats?

I fear we have lost the definition of what happiness really is. Happiness is not a one-stop destination that you achieve by obtaining these material must-haves. No.Happiness is a journey that isn’t all perfect. Happiness is a simple concept, yet we make it so complicated. We cover up happiness with so much noise.

Instead of chasing this unbridled state of happiness, chase this instead:

I want you to chase peace. For the most part, we cannot control external actions from others and our environment, but we can control ourselves. We can control our perception and how we view what’s occurring around us. The reason peace seems difficult to achieve is because often our natural instinct is to react in a way that throws off this balance. We get upset, we get angry, we get anxiety, and all of these negative emotions, which we elicit out of habit.

Start focusing on separating your thoughts with the experience and let them simply pass. Recognize they are thoughts arriving in your head but only you decide how much meaning and weight they will hold. When you start to let these anxious thoughts affect you less, you gain peace in your life.

I want you to chase love. Not just Romeo and Juliet kind of love. Love for the unconventional things. Love when you find the strength to smile when you really want to cry. Love is telling people how much they mean to you. Find love in the moments that make you remember how grand it is to be alive. Love is growing from an experience that once made you weak. Love is trusting in others to show you the good in this world. While love and happiness aren’t exactly synonymous, they are interchangeable for a reason. 

I want you to chase your dreams. This is a cliché for a reason because most of us fail at this simple task of chasing what we really want in life. We fear rejection, we fear failure, and we fear judgment. But all for what? To live a life for others? You must remember, there is no time machine. We have one shot in this life and every day we get the opportunity to chase what makes our heart beat. Don’t waste this by chasing things because that’s what you think others want to see.

Happiness shouldn’t be complicated. Happiness should be a thing we all obtain. Because happiness follows when we find peace, are able to love, and chase our dreams.