Happiness is a direction

I came across an interesting video featuring Dr. Arthur Brooks, a Harvard professor and social scientist.

He writes: "Happiness is a direction, not a destination. Don’t work on being happy, let’s work on getting happier. It’s more than a feeling, but a skill to practice.”

This was a fresh way of framing this concept. Growing up, I felt that happiness was a result of my life falling into place. If I achieved X, then I would be rewarded with Y.

As life naturally ebbed and flowed, it became harder to hold onto this concept. And as I grow older, I’m coming to understand Dr. Brooks’ sentiment better: happiness is a muscle that can be trained. Of course, it’s a journey that’s very personal, gradual, and doesn’t look the same for everyone.

My best way? Embracing gratitude as fully as possible. Utter appreciation of the beauty around me. How do you direct yourself?