What is Happiness

According to the great philosopher 
Aristotle 
"Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence". 
Well, if our whole lives revolve around happiness, then why is it a hard nut to crack! 
You know, if I had asked the question 'what happiness really is' a few years back to my parents or my teachers, they would have laughed at me or get worried that something is really wrong with me!
But today scientists and philosophers alike are busy finding the real meaning of happiness, and we still haven't got a solid answer as it is such a subjective concept. For example, something which gives me happiness might not bring joy to you and vice versa! Probably due to this vagueness and complexity, happiness and its meaning has intrigued me as well as many others like me. 
 Generally we relate ‘happiness’ to things like Money, Power, Pleasure, and Expensive gifts or Vacations. At least that’s what we have been told right from our formative years. Perhaps this relationship had its roots from the biology and history of humankind and slowly seeped into the society through the cracks formed by stories passed on from generation to generation. Although, science has a totally different outlook on it. It suggests that countries which have more money, power or better resources do not necessarily have good mental health or higher level of happiness, in fact quite the opposite in some cases! Therefore these things might give you happiness to some extent, till they fulfill your basic needs, after that you become used to them or start taking them for granted. So then WHAT IS REAL HAPPINESS? Well, as per happiness researchers, scholars, philosophers and spiritual leaders, whose sole mission is to understand the very concept of happiness, real happiness does not reside in material things and nor could be found externally. It is something you have to find from within yourself, i.e. if you want it to be long-lasting. So according to them real happiness lies in: 
1.  Building and Nurturing relationships 
2. Being a better version of yourself everyday
3. Feeling content in what you have 
4. Doing something selflessly for someone 

Imagine, it has been there with you all the time, while you were looking for it all over the world! Simple, yet complicated. Don’t you think so?

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