Pursuit of Happiness

I feel like I've been hearing a lot about happiness lately. About how we as a society are obsessed with it, and the pursuit of it. How we haven't achieved it.

"The Pursuit of Happiness in Perspective" by Darrin McMahon puts "the pursuit of happiness" into a historical perspective. I found it's conclusion interesting--that you can only find happiness when that's not your main goal, you're actually working towards something else.

Similarly, "The Science of Lasting Happiness" by Marina Krakovsky suggests that no matter how much we achieve/earn/do, happiness will always seem just out of reach because we adapt to our current state.

So what does this mean for me, personally? I think that I have fallen into the trap of chasing happiness. Feeling that there must always be something out there that will make my life complete. Trying to do more and see more to finally be enough.

According to answers.com, the definition of content is " Desiring no more than what one has; satisfied." I think, in the future, I'll try to focus more on being content than being happy. The competitor in me instantly smells the reek of defeat, in giving up the race. But I prefer to think that I'd be joining a kinder, gentler competition. The kind you were in as a kid, where everyone gets a ribbon just for competing, and everyone feels better for it.