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Self-Discovery
3 Things Needed to Be Happy
A timeless formula
Ever notice how genuinely happy people seem grounded, alive, and at peace? Their secret? Three things that make happiness real and lasting.
We all want happiness, but few truly find it.
We chase happiness through success, comfort, approval, and recognition, yet it always seems to slip through our fingers. And really, who would ever want a life without happiness? I’ve never met such a person.
Yet, I also can’t imagine a life without sorrow. As strange as it sounds, sorrow often makes happiness richer. Without struggle, disappointment, and loss, how could we possibly recognize joy for what it is? The contrast between pain and peace gives life its meaning.
Not long ago, I came across something written more than 300 years ago by Joseph Addison. His words define happiness with timeless precision, spelling out a clear path to it:
“Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.”
I love his use of the word grand. It suggests something noble, magnificent, and larger than life. Real happiness is grand. It’s majestic in its simplicity and powerful in its depth. Addison’s wisdom…

