The pursuit of happiness

The United States Declaration of Independence of 1776, mentions the universal right to “the pursuit of happiness.

There are numerous studies on the science of happiness. All seem to conclude in one way or another, that happiness is not dependent on wealth, situation, or their environment, …Even one’s health seems to be unrelated to the level of happiness.

Happiness is a decision 

The state of being happy is the normal natural way of being. To be otherwise should be considered the exception.

One of the warmest, wisest, most joyous and caring person that I was fortunate to know, was a woman named Esther. She was a brilliant educator. She used to say that “one of the greatest forms of charity is a smile.” Indeed, lifting someone’s spirit is an immeasurable form of giving. She also asserted that “happiness is a decision.” With these two points in mind, I’d like to share a theory.

The theory

The theory I have is that there is a direct and equal proportion regarding the level of people’s happiness to their level of kindness. In other words the more giving and good-natured a person is, the more happy they are, and the more self absorbed and selfish a person is the more unhappy they are. I have never seen an exception.

The birth of a nation

Adding “happiness” into a document intended to announce the forming a new nation was unconventional, but actually a stroke of genius. I propose that the main reason the United States continues to lead the world in no less that 82 categories is because the pursuit of happiness actually produces a culture based on justice, integrity, and kindness to one’s fellow.

The book unwritten 

Many times we end up in situations where we have to deal with difficult people. I often joke that I’d like to write a book entitled “How to deal with difficult selfish people”. The book will, without question, end up being the best selling book of all time. The only problem is that I can’t get further than the title.

The reason this book is unwritable is that the key word is “pursue”. One has to make a conscience decision to pursue happiness.

Still, there are some people who, put “winning” ahead of everything. They see the world as a perpetual contest. They must win every conversation. Every occurrence, no matter the circumstance is a contest for them to gain victory in their mind. They crave recognition and praise from even in the most arbitrary matters. Winning an argument, would take precedence over lending a helping hand to a neighbor.

Don’t get me wrong, ambition is absolutely essential for anyone’s progress. It was our predecessors passion, ingenuity and hard working principles that built this nation. But somewhere, in our culture, the meaning of success got twisted and misconstrued with raw, unbridled ego. Not only is this behavior counterproductive, it is contrary to the intentions put forth by our founding fathers.

Founding Fathers, leadership and the future 

The pursuit of happiness is infectious and it insures a level of politeness and respect for the other. The authors of Declaration of Independence knew a healthy, well-mannered discussion of ideas is essential in any administration. They also knew that the behavior of the leaders will eventually be mirrored in the population.

Those in leadership positions today, like politicians, public figures, role models and the media must always display a professional, upbeat and cheerful demeanor when sharing their points of view. They need to practice respect, civility, and kindness in deed and action. This raises the question: Are our leaders directing society forward, toward the common goal of advancement, or are we feuding and bickering our way to self destruction?

Our forefathers set in place a system of cause and effect, where those who practice being happy, will ultimately reap benefits for all. People need only to pursue happiness along with the good that come with it.

Question: What is the secret that makes one nation great while others fall short?

Answer: The pursuit of happiness.

And remember, one of the greatest forms of charity doesn’t cost a penny 😁.