My goal in life is to be happy

My goal in life is to be happy. But because #happiness is not something you can physically obtain, how are you going to pull it off?

Follow us

What’s your ideas around #happiness? let us know in the comments.

Hey! What makes you happy? Have you reached all your goals and thus, found the holy grail of your life-long mission – happiness? If so, how does it feel to live in a state of perpetual happy?

Personally, I’m willing to wager that most of your answers were something like, “ell, no, I’ve never been happy 100% of the time.

But why is that? Well, I’m inclined to think that a human emotion, like happy, cannot be sustained. And no matter how many goals we tick off the old goals list, we will sometimes, be a mix of emotion anger, angst, sadness, and excitement. All of these things will be part of your journey – always.

Happiness according to science

So why then are we answering the question, “What is your main goal in life?” with “To be happy.”?

On the surface, it sounds like a wonderful thing to strive for, but is it? Furthermore, if we accept that happiness can’t be a perpetual state, what will that do for our, well, happiness?

In other words, accepting the feel-good emotion for what it is, a chemical reaction with its own ebb and flow, could cultivate a degree of acceptance.

From my point of view, this notion has some real validity to it. I think so, because what if you, for example, achieve a goal of becoming a doctor, a life-long dream, and yet, you’re not happy. Instead, you find yourself asking, “I have reached the top, so, why am I not happy?”

In crisis? Go to Crisis Services Canada

Firstly, life doesn’t operate on a singularity. In this case, the life-long narrative that says, “My goal is to be happy.” Rather, there are a host of variables. Therefore, we need to ask ourselves the right questions.

Questions like, what factors can inhibit being more happy in life?” In my own view, happiness can be sustained but only in moments. Now, that’s not to say that you will experience more misery than happiness; it simply means, things manifest themselves in the now.

The Mental Illness angle

#mentalhealthconditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD, rob one of moments that could otherwise bring immense joy. For example, a child’s first Christmas. Depression is a nasty illness that sucks away any mental energy one has. So, a parent with #deppression, for instance, can sit there in a state of exhausted sadness.

And like that of happiness where you expect it to be a constant, and thus, make you happier, being depressed on Christmas can make one even more sad.

Our Latest Posts

“Why can’t I feel any joy?” you ask yourself as you watch your little one squeal with delight as they tear through the gift wrap.

Then you feel the furnace of anger fire up, and now – you’re a hybrid of anger and sad.

“I’m never going to get over feeling this way!” You follow up with a “What’s the point?!”

Stop by my podcast #thewellnesstalks and give me a follow

But then….. You feel the cold hands of your little darling. You can tell they are attempting to stand and using you to do it.

When you look down, they are holding the gift that you painfully hunted for; that gift that you knew they would love because they are obsessed with it.

Where before they were preoccupied with the Christmas wrap, they are now staring up at you with their big baby-like eyes. And as you lock eyes with your little one, you can’t help but notice it in their left hand.

With an underdeveloped shake, they use all their might to hold the gift up in one hand, steadying themselves with the other. They are working with all their might to show you their new treasure. whilst at the same time, a smile lights up their face.

Front and back cover of the road to mental wellness - 8 sings your relationship is hurting your mental health.
Want to get the complete Audiobook version Free! Go to our Homepage and use the Scriber form to receive our newsletter. Boom the book is yours.

You pick up your little one and tear up at the site of their own elation.

And in that moment the mixed emotion of anger and sadness disappear and are replaced with unfettered joy. Without realizing it, you find yourself hugging your little one tight. Caught up by the moment, it’s only you, your child, and a sense of euphoria.

“Maybe I’m not such a miserable parent after all…?”

Somehow, in that moment, the love for your child was strong enough to break you free from your misery. And as a result, you too find yourself smiling.

check out this amazing mental health advocacy group We Matter Too Inc.

And finally, what I think is most important is that we embrace the moments of joy and happiness that do come along. As opposed to chasing a solid-state notion of a happy life.

While this is true for everyone, I think it’s especially true for those who have mental illness.

So, give yourself permission to soak in all that joy, for we’re never sure when we’ll feel it again. The only thing we really need to know, is that we will.

Follow us

Jonathan Arenburg

Jonathan Reginald-Nixon Arenburg (Born January 14, 1976) is a Canadian mental health blogger, speaker, and published author. Retired from the fire service and long-term care fields, he has written and self-published an autobiographical account of his life-long battle with anxiety, depression and more recently, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Titled, The Road To Mental Wellness, he wrote it for what he calls “therapeutic release.” He published it in hopes it would help others going through similar mental health conditions. The sales of The Road To Mental Wellness have been steady selling over 300 copies since its release on October 10, 2021(World Mental Health Day). Arenburg has also been involved in a collaborative publication Called Lemonade Stand Volume III, a book featuring 20 authors who bravely tell their stories of PTSD. All authors where from the military and or emergency services. Published by Joshua Rivedal and Kathleen Myers for the i’Mpossible project, a mental health advocacy organization. Jonathan has also appeared on several mental health podcasts including The Depression Files, A New Dawn, and The Above Ground Podcast Arenburg has also consulted with the Government of Nova Scotia and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, the Honorable Brian Comer and Candidates for the New Democratic Party of Canada, on improving the mental health care system in Canada. Additionally, Jonathan was recognized in The Nova Scotia Legislature by the Honorable, Chris Palmer, Kings-North MLA, for his Book, The Road To Mental Wellness, his fight to make the mental health care system better. In addition, Chis acknowledged the support he gives to others.

Please leave a comment and tell us what you liked about what you read.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.