Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful.
Proverbs 16:20 NLT
Actor and comedian Jim Carrey famously said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer.” Psychologists have been studying the topic of happiness recently and have come to some interesting discoveries. Ironically, those who pursue happiness as an ultimate goal have difficulty finding it. Interestingly, the more self-centered a person becomes, the less capable he/she is of being happy. Happiness, therefore, is a byproduct of a life worth living. This is typically found in living for a purpose greater than oneself, living a shared life with others, and living a life of generosity. Psychiatrist Dr. Lahnna Catalino noted, “Letting go of wanting to feel happy all the time encourages less self-consciousness about happiness. This may be helpful because many peak, pleasant experiences, characterized by total absorption in an activity are marked by a lack of self-awareness.” In other words, in order to be truly happy, we need to think about ourselves less. Maybe Jesus’ command to “love God and love our neighbors” is actually the best way for us to live a happy life. For more on this topic, you can read this article on “A Better Way to Pursue Happiness” by Dr. Catalino.
