Last year I was reading about a European billionaire who, after losing a good chunk of his wealth in a bad investment, ended his life. The day he committed suicide, he was still a billionaire, albeit a less well-off one.
Most people would think, This guy was still rich! What was he thinking?
But what most people don’t understand is that happiness is not about what you have (or own) or even wherever it is you stand right now. It’s about where you feel you’re headed, about whether or not the future is looking brighter.
Contrast the billionaire with a long-time job seeker who finally lands a position (which certainly doesn’t match billionairedom). What emotions would come up then?
Progress! Happiness! Joy!
Put simply, happiness is progress. Or as happiness researcher Shawn Achor explains: “Happiness is the joy you feel moving toward your potential.”
If you feel like you “should” be happier (because, hey, you already express gratitude for what’s going right in your life, right?),
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