Happiness Versus Pleasure
Pleasure is a fleeting form of happiness, a temporary high that will inevitably disappear and be replaced with the feeling of emptiness. Happiness comes from a greater sense of satisfaction, so it lasts for much longer. By contrast, pleasure is an intense but rather short-lived reaction to an external stimulus that produces feelings of enjoyment. The difference between these two states is quite vast, and the best way to achieve true happiness is by focusing on attaining deeper meaning in your life.
Learn how to turn everyday moments into experiences that make you happy in this article.
Pleasure is a distraction.
Even though pleasure is powerful and it feels good, it mostly promises things that are temporary. It offers momentary satisfaction that ultimately leads to feeling of emptiness and loneliness. Pleasure also makes you dependent on external sources to make you feel good, which means that over time, the feeling of happiness becomes more and more fleeting. The problem most people face is too much focus on pleasure – they want the biggest house, the fastest car, but they don't value their current life or the relationships they have with others. The good news is that a little bit of pleasure can go a long way in enhancing your happiness if you know when to stop and turn your attention towards deeper meaning instead.
Chase pleasure and you'll end up with nothing.
You can't achieve happiness if you're only focused on obtaining the things that make you feel good. The fact is, these kind of short-term rewards are extremely fleeting and they may never come again, which means you have to learn how to quit chasing after them. Instead, focus on what makes you truly happy, and then focus on the people around you that can provide a sense of meaning in your life. When choosing between material goods and relationships – choose relationships over money every time!
Happiness isn't necessarily a feeling.
Your level of happiness depends on the meaning you place on your life and the relationships you have with others. When you've invested all your attention and energy into meaningful activities, then that's when true happiness comes about. At the same time, however, focusing too much on meaningful activities can be quite difficult because it requires emotional intelligence, a kind of knowledge and experience that is hard to achieve. The challenge is finding a balance between emotional intelligence and direction, as both are vitally important for making decisions that last throughout our lives.
People may not notice how happy they are because they're happy with what they have in their lives.
It's hard to judge whether you're happy or not because most people don't actually think about their lives. Most of the time they are simply going through the motions, never really evaluating their happiness. As a result, they may be perfectly happy in their current situation, believing that they have everything they need to be content and satisfied with their lives. The problem is that this type of life is mostly empty and meaningless, where most actions are simply put on autopilot because of how routine it has become. Also, people that are this way may become too comfortable in their lives, which means they will never leave their comfort zone and achieve something meaningful.
Take time to reflect on your life.
Most of the time we are too busy going through the motions of everyday life to really think about what makes us happy. As a result, we often miss out on opportunities to do what is meaningful in life. It's very important to take the time and reflect on your life and your happiness overall. When you can start being aware of your actions and how they affect you, then you'll naturally start moving towards a more meaningful existence because true happiness comes from understanding who you really are as a person.
Take action to boost your happiness.
The best way to achieve happiness is by taking action to remove any sources of negativity in your life. At the same time, however, you should also remove sources of pleasure that are not really meaningful to you. Only then can you start removing other distractions and bring yourself back on track with what is truly meaningful in life. The truth is that most people don't place enough importance on things that make them happy, so they stay stuck in a cycle of temporary pleasure and boredom until something meaningful comes along and wakes them up.
Happiness usually comes from relationships with others.
It's very important to have relationships with others in life because it helps develop a deeper sense of meaning and purpose. On a daily basis you should be trying to form meaningful relationships that provide support, love and understanding. Never forget why you're going after pleasure and material goods in the first place, because if you focus on the right things then your life will become more meaningful overall.
Know your own happiness and seek those who accept it.
The problem most people face is false happiness – they think they are happy with what they have, but in reality they are not. Instead of real happiness, it is often just a temporary feeling of pleasure that makes them feel good for a short period of time only. The problem is that looking for happiness in all the wrong places prevents them from finding true happiness, where they feel a deeper connection with others and their own life. The challenge is to cultivate your own happiness in order to appreciate when the right opportunities come along.
Your actions make you happy, not your circumstances.
Most people think they are unhappy because of the circumstances of their lives. As a result, they end up blaming other people and make excuses. The truth is that this type of thinking prevents them from doing what's necessary to achieve true happiness, which requires action and effort on their part. The goal is to edit your life in order to focus more on what's important rather than on things that don't make you happy. When you can do this, then you're on the right track towards achieving true happiness.
Once you have happiness in your life, it's easier to pass it on.
When you become happy with yourself and your own existence, then it will be easier to make other people happy as well. The best way to achieve this is by spending time with others without expecting anything in return. Most people are always looking for a reward because of their previous negative experiences, but when can just be happy for no reason at all. As a result, you'll end up noticing that others are happier around you, which means you're on the right track to achieving true happiness in life.
Believe that happiness is possible!
Most people are unable to achieve happiness because they don't believe it's possible for them. As a result, they give up too easily and just accept their circumstances and how miserable they feel about their own lives. The problem, however, is that there's always hope for true happiness as long as you keep trying no matter what the cost! Don't let any obstacles get in your way and focus on what's truly important when it comes to finding happiness in life.
Conclusion
Happiness is definitely possible, but it's not going to happen overnight. It takes time and effort to make the right decision and follow through with resulting actions. If you really want happiness in life, then you have to focus on what matters most – the right things and who you really are. Once your self-esteem is high, then you can become more comfortable in your own skin and start being happy with what you've got. This way, it'll be easier to pass your happiness on to others as well.
About The Author
Daniel Mackey is an entrepreneur and writer who helps people unlock their potential by providing proven strategies for success in life.