Definition Essay: Happiness And The Purpose Of Life

Are you happy?

"Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence." -Aristotle

Have you ever wondered if you are happy? If you answered yes or no, how do you know? How do you realize when you’re happy? For me, it happens after I do something I had planned it would make me happy and enjoy it. Also, I feel happy after accomplishing goals or purposes. Although sometimes —I must admit— meeting certain goals have not given me the payoff I was expecting.

Now, if you consider that those feelings of pleasure are happiness then happy life is about achieving those moments and avoiding pain at all costs. The bad thing is that in reality, those feelings are fleeting —just like feelings of pain are fleeting. If you only experience happiness after meeting certain goals or purposes then being happy is reduced to a simple moment, a moment of ecstasy, a simple emotion. Making the “act of being happy” possible only at certain times in your life. Also, if you assume all of the above is true then there must be a "recipe" to be happy just as there are “specific actions” one can take to accomplish certain goals.

Just as there are no specific goals that will guarantee you happiness. When reading this blog, you will not find the essential keys on hot to be happy or the easy steps to be happy because I don’t promise you that. As a writer about happiness, I recognize that human beings are capable of experiencing happiness as well as sadness, even at the same time —as well as other complex feeling and emotions. So I will not focus on the question; are you happy? Because it’s not a good question. A better question —and the one I will focus on — is how can I be