Why Chasing Happiness Is a Waste of Time - And What to Do Instead

Chasing happiness is a waste of time.

Because you can never achieve a state of constant happiness, and even if you could, I think that would make life very boring.

It is normal to have other feelings, other than happiness. So-called “negative” feelings, such as sadness, jealousy, anxiety, and so on.

But then something happens to relieve the negative feeling. To transform it, and sometimes it transforms into happiness. You feel joy. But it is fleeting, and so it should be.

I think the best you could possibly hope for is contentment. And even that will be fleeting. But it is much easier to maintain a state of contentment than joy. You can be content most of the time and still have your ups and downs.

The great thing about contentment is that you can cultivate it. People think they can cultivate joy, but I feel like joy and happiness are dependent on external events. Contentment, however, is that feeling you get when everything seems “just right.”

So how do you cultivate contentment?

I have a few ideas that probably work together.

One is meditation. Meditate at least 10 minutes a day.

The second is through daily journaling. I have 7 questions that I answer each morning.

By answering these questions you process feelings and learn to understand yourself while cultivating a positive mindset and hopefully positive behaviors.

And the final thing for reaching contentment is to obtain the things you want. This is hard if you want a lot, especially if you are very materialistic. But hopefully you realize that things won't make you happy, or content, for the long term. People who get everything they want usually end up just wanting more.

To combat this, pre-plan your ideal life in every aspect and work towards getting there. Consider relationships, health, lifestyle, finances, hobbies, and whatever else is important to you.

Then realize that you can be content without those things also.

When you get things you want, they can bring fleeting joy.

When you can be content without them, you’ve hit the jackpot.