Happiness or comfort

Let's talk happiness and comfort. Do you prefer to be happy or just comfortable? I believe we've all come across the saying I rather cry in a Lamborghini than in a bus or something similar of that nature. With the nature of our world today, everyone just wants to make it big, some at the detriment of their happiness.

We've placed wealth and riches at such high standard that if you're not rich, little or no attention is paid to you. Little wonder why everyone is struggling to be at the top. The issue is that everyone is trying to be comfortable in life, trying to get the best of the best and sometimes, in the process they forget how to be happy.

So what's the difference between happiness and comfort?

Being happy implies that you find joy and fulfillment in what you do compared to comfort where you're indifferent, not happy and not sad either. You're on neutral ground.

According to the dictionary, comfort can be defined as a state of physical ease and freedom from pain and constraint. Wikipedia defines comfort(or being comfortable) as a sense of physical or psychological ease, often characterized as a lack of hardship. A comfortable life doesn't always equate to a happy life.

The thing with us humans is that we always want to achieve more. We're not comfortable being comfortable, we're always trying harder, struggling to be better and in the end, we might lose ourselves in the process.

There are so many rich people doing well for themselves but still aren't happy with their lives. They just feel something is missing, some know what it is while others don't

Being comfortable could be:

• Having a well paid job that you don't actually like doing. Yes, it's paying the bills, making life easier but it probably doesn't make you happy.

• Being in a relationship because you feel life will be easier with that person.

• Your life is probably rigid, the same routine everyday, you don't do spontaneous things for fun because you're so focused on managing your time plus the many other examples.

• You tend to always avoid risks and problems. How then do you expect to grow?

Considering happiness, the dictionary defines happiness as the state of pleasurable contentment of mind; deep pleasure in or contentment with one's circumstances. According to Wikipedia, the term happiness is used in the context of mental or emotional states, including positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. It is also used in the context of life satisfaction, subjective well-being, eudaimonia, flourishing and well-being.

What about the popular saying that money can buy happiness. Yes, it's true to some extent but at the same time it's temporary. The excitement of getting something new or something you've always wanted will eventually wear off with time and you're back to the beginning, using money to buy more things you feel will make you happy.

The good thing about happiness is that you can be comfortable alongside it. We may not always have all we want in terms of material possessions, but there's this joy and contentment that comes with being truly happy.

If you're a movie lover, I believe you've come across movies where we have a workaholic with a rigid lifestyle, then someone comes along that changes their view of life and makes them want to love a little and go out of their comfort zone.

Happiness can be considered to be:

• You love your job. For something you're passionate about, you'll be quite excited to do it.

• You're in a healthy relationship with friends and family.

• You aren't afraid of change. You're open to exploring and taking risks. It's how you grow.

• You're living in the moment and not obsessing about the past or how the future will turn out.

• Simple things excite you like hearing your favourite song come on on the radio or simply taking a walk.

• You have good health and good sleep.

• You probably don't have regrets because you're living your best life.

• You're not afraid of failure and you have hobbies you enjoy.

So while we're all trying in our own way to make living better and comfortable, let's not forget to put our happiness in front too because it's just as important. It's part of having the good life.