Pursuing happiness seems to be a trend and culture in every minimalist. We want to do the job that we like, indulge in our hobbies, enjoy the delicious meal- to achieve the state of happiness that everyone is obsessed about at all costs.
While happiness can be defined as a mood for some people, it can also be defined as a state of being for others. Being happy is having an optimistic mindset that allows us to always look at the bright side when things seem to go haywire.
But is there more to life than just being happy?
Some people think that pursuing a meaningful life is a state that is beyond achieving happiness. This is because meanings in life come from more complex things than happiness.
What Is Happiness and Meaningful Life?
Happiness is about feeling good.
Typically, if we feel healthy, capable to buy things that we want, and have a good relationship with others, we do feel happy. Interestingly, the factor of lack of money, stress, and worries seems to have much more impact on the level of happiness than the meanings of our life.
Research has found that people who are happy received favors from others.
On the other hand, people who give favors are the ones who lead a meaningful life and they received happiness from the act of giving. In short, people who are leading a meaningful life are more likely to help those people in need.
Negative Things That We Encounter In Our Life
Bad things that happened in our life makes us sad, but it increases the meaning of our life indirectly.
For example, the final exam that we failed and the horrible interview session that we have been through. It might be a bad experience for you, nevertheless, it is also an opportunity for you to work harder for improvements.
Isn’t it more meaningful when you work hard and achieved something that you want rather than getting it easily and successfully in the first place?
A meaningful life is also linked with the willingness to take care of other’s people's feeling even though it comes at the expense of their happiness.
It is important to note that taking care and helping others make our life meaningful, but it does not necessarily make us feel happy. For example, avoiding arguments that will lead to a big hassle. This is because peace is more important than fulfilling our desire to happy.
How To Lead A Meaningful Life?
1. The Art of Giving
There are various ways to practice the art of giving- Helping others in need. Be a volunteer for an event. Sponsor a child.
Give happiness to other people and you will feel contented by receiving their gratitude.
2. Practice Forgiveness
Accept the apology and forgive people for their mistakes. Do not hold grudges against it. You might not feel happy at the moment. However, inner peace can be reached only when you are free of grudges.
3. Have a Goal
A meaningful life does not complete without achieving the goal that you want. You might be happy now with what you have but it is not the same as having the feeling of contented and satisfaction after achieving the goal.
Have a dream, work hard, welcomes the challenges, and have faith in what you are doing.
Happiness comes and goes, but leading a meaningful life, by giving to others, experiencing struggles and hurdles, and feel the complex emotions more than just pure feeling of happiness, gives us something to hold on to.
A happy life consists of good events that make us feel happy, but a meaningful life made of good and bad events makes a good life for us to treasure.
Cover Photo: misschailing
