Are These Happiness Myths Making You Miserable?

Are These Happiness Myths Making You Miserable?
Are These Happiness Myths Making You Miserable?

Has happiness ever felt out of reach for any reason? Maybe you’ve gotten frustrated with yourself for feeling this way. Don’t point the finger at yourself right away though, because some of these happiness myths might have something to do with it…

Myth #1: Happiness Means Being Happy All The Time
We’re human. We’re emotional creatures. We’re bound to have ups and downs. All. Day. Long. It’s natural to feel certain emotions with certain situations.

Every one of our experiences impacts us in an emotional way. So how could we be a single emotion (happy) all the time?

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The truth is, we’re not unhappy people when we experience unpleasant emotions, happiness will return. The ebb and flow of each and every emotion is to be expected.

Myth #2: Happiness Means Feeling Good
Most dictionary definitions describe happiness as a state of pleasure or contentment. But if this is our impression of happiness, then there can be no such thing as lasting happiness. How long does a good feeling last before frustration, disappointment, anxiety, or irritation enters the picture?

Anything meaningful in life, whether it’s building a career, looking after your body, or creating a family, just to name a few examples – will bring painful and frustrating emotions, as well as some very pleasant ones. You can still be a happy person, who experiences emotions that don’t feel so good from time to time. That’s the human experience!

We need a spectrum of highs and lows to truly appreciate both sides. There’s no rain without sun. No night without day. And no smiles without tears.

Myth #3: If You’re Not Happy, There’s Something Wrong With You
More and more of human nature is being labelled as “something wrong” with you, sometimes requiring medication to fix it. The reality is, if you’re not happy, you’re still normal. Life is challenging. Not always, but a lot of the time it is. You’re not defective for feeling that way.

Related Article: Unhappy? It Might Be Where You Live

Now that we’ve busted the myths of what happiness isn’t, what is happiness and how do you make it last?

At HappierDaily, we believe happiness is a mindset. It’s a way of thinking in general. Happy people are grateful. They believe in themselves. They are still affected by their everyday situations and they still experience their share of good and bad in life. They aren’t immune to stress or hardship or anger, but they have healthy habits and just the right amount of positivity to rebound to happiness every moment they can.