Is Happiness an illusion?

Happiness is a tricky concept. I feel it is equally abstract as the concept of "freedom", in the sense that it means something different for everybody. However, most times when we think of happiness, a very specific image comes to mind: you are somewhere that you like, showing a wide smile, doing something that you love. But, more importantly, you have a feeling inside, a warm feeling in your chest that says "I'm happy".

When I think about being happy, I can easily notice that I'm not that happy all the time. I fluctuate. In a moment I'm happy, then I can be stressed, or content, or neutral. It comes and goes.

That warm feeling inside? Well, it is not constant, and I doubt it can be.

Are we chasing an illusion?

These words may sound simple. But think about the things you want to do in your life, your dreams. And why do you want to achieve those?

Let me guess... You think they are going to make you happy. Whole. Fullfilled. When you get that, when you achieve those things... ooff! Imagine how good that will feel! HAPPINESS, right?

In my experience, in the moments when I achieved something, of course I'm happy, but it doesn't last. It is temporary. Our brains are wired to keep looking, to keep searching. Did you reach a goal? How nice! Here, you have a new one! Start looking again.

But everyone, no matter their age or profession, is looking for happiness.

I think that as a collective we have merge the idea of happiness with the sensation of whole, completeness. So, we think we will be happy when we reach something that help us feel complete.

Again, I ask you to think about it. Why do you want money? Why do you want love? A house? A better job? Isn't all with the mere goal of finding happiness? We are chasing smoke, because each time we feel we got it, it goes away again.

The only solution to this illusion we have going is to change our perspective. Realizing that happiness is not the end goal, and that warm feeling in your chest is not constant. It comes and goes, and this also allow us to appreciate even more the present moment.

It is important to become aware that we are chasing a feeling, something so abstract and fleeting. We are not chasing tangible results, we just want the comfort inside, the emotion, the sensation that everything is okay and finally we breathe.

And, if after all, we are hunting an emotion, wouldn't be easier to just try to create that inside of us through the simplest actions? Maybe taking a warm bath or eating some delicious wings will give us the same warm feeling inside, and now we are able to appreciate it for what it is:

A flowing, temporary, small burst of happiness.