Happiness is a very tricky thing to fully define since it is such a personal journey that each one of us undergoes. For me, this is all about great relationships: those with my family, dear loved ones, close friends, and relations. All these meaningful connections are the solid base my happiness stands on. Certainly, I feel most myself among people with whom one can really share the moments of laughter and quite considerable support: share a moment of delight, try to ease someone’s distress, and suffer through the bad times hand in hand. Be it any activity from the large, festive family gatherings full of celebration to small and intimate, mere unplanned meetups with friends that just seem to have been really meant to happen or even an emotional conversation over the phone, there is nothing else that compares to what all of that does to make me feel. I can have probably a hell of great time and feel immense joy of creating memories with the loved ones, being comforted by the cozy feeling of having a real good base of support at one’s back, and for sure feeling very secure from deep and meaningful ties. The times I really feel understood, deeply valued, and loved so much — these are basics in giving real meaning to my life and make me happy.
As I proceed to carefully navigate the new world we find ourselves in today — an ever-evolving, fast-paced, technology-driven society — I have come to one deep realization about how much the pursuit of my happiness has been shaped and steered by the little accommodations of modern life that are now integrated seamlessly into our daily reality. Technology has clearly altered the way I relate with people and facilitated many aspects of my life by enabling me to stay in touch with those I value and who have an impact on my feelings in one way or another, wherever they may be on this huge, vast, and interconnected world. I can share my life in real-time with family and friends through social media, video calls, and instant messaging, bridging the gap that distance can often create. But at the same time, I’ve come to see that these digital interactions, while helpful, sometimes leave me wanting more. There’s a certain irreplaceable warmth and depth that comes with face-to-face interactions that technology, despite its advancements, simply can’t replicate.
I quasi-introspectively have watched how one gets caught up in this vicious circle-seeking validation on social media platforms, counting endlessly how many likes or how many comments come my way — only to realize later that, well, this satisfaction from those metrics is quite short-lived and ephemeral. The convenience, the connectedness, and the fun afforded by technology on a daily basis I never take for granted, but surely and slowly, I have been coming to see how superficial and short-lived such joy and happiness feel — not that deep satisfaction I am looking for in my life. A lot of the really important and lasting pleasure, for me, comes from stepping back from all the distracting static of the digital world and giving my attention to simpler, more concrete aspects of life that surround me at all times. I feel at ease and fulfilled with life when I am outdoors walking in the park or even sitting in my backyard with an objective to relax. I have found, among other things, that being in the now through a mindful approach to everything around me, no matter how minute, grounds one and brings the state of happiness to another level. Time spent on activities directly related to my passions — including but not limited to any reading, writing, or just working on some piece of work that has a creative aspect to it — tends to put me in touch with myself. It is in those moments, away from the distractions that speed and instantaneous technology so often furnish, that I feel deeper and more perennial states of happiness. Indeed, through such self-exploration, I have come to realize and accept the fact that true happiness for me is not derived from outward sources and material wealth but rather is deeply internal to an individual: placed in a restful place of contentment that I engage anytime I allow myself to live in the present and take a second to regard and appreciate the immense beauty that exists around me every single day.