People believe that they are supposed to make decisions which would make them happy. However, does this belief really lead us to living a happy and fulfilling life?
Philosopher Emily Esfahani Smith states that if you chase happiness throughout your life, it will make you unhappy in the end. What she suggests is making sure that you look for 4 main pillars in your life.
- First pillar – belonging. It means being in relationships with people who respect and value you for who you truly are and you value them in return. In many relationships, people are valued for their interests or beliefs, but not for who they truly are as people. Belonging should come from love.
- Second pillar – purpose. Your purpose shouldn’t be about what you want. It is rather about what you give. Your purpose should be to focus on other people and to think of ideas what you can do in order to help others.
- Third pillar – stepping beyond yourself. It means being able to connect to a higher reality. Stepping beyond yourself means transcending. A lot of people step beyond themselves through art or they go to church.
- Fourth pillar – storytelling. It refers to what you tell about yourself to others. Through talking about your life, you create your own narrative. It not only helps others to know you better, but it also reveals where you come from and who you have become. Your story can change every day. You are in full control to edit and tell your story in a way which you prefer.