Something Greater Than Yourself

Many times when I ask someone what their #1 goal is in life, they respond with something like this:

“I want to be happy”

No matter how they phrase it, it boils down to these five words. 

But what if I told you that by chasing happiness, we feel less fulfilled? 

You see, a distinction must be made: Happiness ≠ Joy

What people really seek is joy, which is found by living for something greater than yourself.

Happiness is just a feeling, as is anger and sadness. By wanting to be happy all the time, we are implying that all other emotions are not as important. 

But a full set of emotions is needed to experience a full human life. 

As I said, joy is what people actually want.

The best example of joy is found in faith. Let’s use my life as an example:

As a Christian, I constantly pursue God and am continually strengthening my relationship with Him. 

I understand that by doing this, I’m not going to be happy all the time. At times I will feel hopeless, stressed out, confused, depressed, and basically every other emotion. 

However, I am always joyful because I know that I’m playing my part in something greater than myself. 

The main point here is that happiness is a fleeting emotion while joy is a state of being.

With this information, I urge you to pursue joy rather than happiness. It won’t make your challenges easier, but it will make you stronger.

It’s okay to feel stressed, anxious, or depressed. It’s okay to feel happy, excited, and eager. 

Just know that these are emotions that come and go. Joy is here to stay. 

Keep making progress. Change for the better. Live the Heming-way.

Til next time,

Trevor