Regardless of what you read on social media or in email, happiness is all the rage. The word and concept is everywhere. Everyone is trying to define happiness. It’s that elusive goal that all of us are supposed to want and easily achieve. How? By controlling your thoughts. Not so fast – that’s not simple in the least.
If happiness were as easy and redirecting and controlling your thoughts, we’d all achieve at the drop of a hat. I know for me, changing or redirecting my thoughts, especially thoughts of self-doubt, fear, loneliness, are difficult for me to withstand in general let alone redirect to positive thoughts and happy feelings – and while I occasionally have anxious thoughts, I don’t suffer from anxiety or depression. Happiness and redirecting your thoughts can discredit anyone who has these experiences.
I have friends who suffer from depression to the point of needing to take medication to take the edge off and live every day with some hope. I know they often are victims of negative thinking and may go through “funks” or periods of extreme sadness and doubt. To ask them to simply shift their thinking to be happy discounts their everyday challenges.
Thinking about my friends who experience anxiety and/or depression, I’ve come to the conclusion that happiness isn’t the right goal. Instead, resilience is the goal. We all face life’s challenges in different ways. The ability to move forward doesn’t rely on one feeling like happiness. It does take the ability to bounce back – that’s relative based on your emotional starting point.
So let’s be understanding that others may be facing challenges we can’t see.
