Inspiration Over Happiness

Pursuing happiness can make grief, loss, and sadness seem abnormal, even though these feelings are part of being human. Happiness is difficult to pursue because it depends on fortunate events, and prioritizing it can lead to judging other emotions as wrong. When happiness overshadows other ways of being alive, life can lose perspective and value beyond joy. The drive for happiness can also encourage avoidance of difficult conversations and increase vulnerability to substance use as a substitute for control. Inspiration offers an alternative, rooted in meanings tied to breath and wind, suggesting emotional and cognitive movement.

"Once happiness is viewed as the way to be, other aspects of the human condition are easily frowned upon. The implication is that there's something wrong with us if we're not happy. Anger, sadness, loss, melancholy, grief, and desperation are given a short shelf-life with the mandate to get back to happy as soon as possible."

"The more happiness overshadows other ways of being alive, the more we can lose perspective of how vast and valuable life is beyond being happy. Life goes misunderstood when the focus narrows to a single emotional target, leaving other experiences underrecognized."

"Once we understand that we don't have much control over pursuing happiness, substituting the high of alcohol and drugs becomes an attractive alternative. When happiness feels out of reach, quick chemical relief can appear to offer control over mood."

"From the Greek and Latin, the word inspiration means "breath and wind," suggesting movement. We can understand the movement as taking place both emotionally and cognitively. One meaning of the word inspire is "to take a breath.""

Read at Psychology Today