Why I'm Seeking Wellbeing, Not Happiness
If I Want Happiness, Why Aren't I Trying to Get It?
My deal is that I don't think that happiness is a way of being. I think it's something you experience along the way. As far as I can understand it, you can't just become happy and then remain that way as a pretty permanent lifestyle.
At first, that thought jarred. I mean, I don't know about you, but I was raised to think that I could do things and become happy and then blam, I'd be living the good life. I'd be golden. Still, even when things are going great with me, the happiness doesn't stick. It's something I feel now and again, but not something that is a way of being over the long term.
Why Wellbeing if Not Happiness?
Since I've decided that the expression "There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way" is true, I've turned my attention to other directions. By the way, I think that phrase is a quote from the Buddha, but please don't go off on me if it's not. Whoever said it was, in my opinion, right.
Instead of trying to achieve happiness, I'm trying to achieve wellbeing. I think a combination of wellness and contentment is a much better destination to try to achieve. it's a journey. Along the way, I'm sure to run into lots of happiness. Still, that happiness will fade.
I'd hoped to include a quote in this post from a book I recently read. I think it was from a book. 99% sure it was from a book. It essentially talked about how you could get a diamond necklace as a gift today, and it would make you over-the-top happy. You'd love it, it fits beautifully, it's gorgeous. Tomorrow, you'd love it just as much but still, you wouldn't feel that happy. Happy, definitely. As happy as you were when you first got it, not quite. A couple of years from then, you still love that diamond necklace, and maybe you have some nostalgia about it, but it's pretty much just a really nice necklace to you. When you put it on, you like it, but you're not unbelievably happy. Happiness decreases over time. So that's why I'm not searching for that. I mean, I wasn't even successful searching Google for the quote I wanted about happiness, let alone using my life to search for happiness itself!
I'll Enjoy Happiness as I Pursue Wellbeing
That said, my journey to wellbeing is meant to help me regularly enjoy a state of contentment and wellness. That journey, to me, sounds fun. In fact, the last couple of weeks since I started it have been very fun. In that, I've found a lot of happiness. It has come and gone, but it's been great when it's been around.
I've been learning a lot about wellness and contentment, what they are and what goes into achieving them. I'm coming up with a loose kind of plan, and as soon as I can tighten it up enough to put it into words, I'll be sure to share. I can't wait. This is getting real, and I love it.
Also, I've gone to the farmer's market again and plan to go again next week and every week until it's done for the year. I'll start sharing posts about the foods I've been buying and making, too. I'm nearly out of Toaster Strudels in my freezer and I don't plan to replace them. A bit at a time, things are getting better around here!
