What will really make you happy?

We all, at some point in our lives, have wondered what could really make us happy. We are actually subconsciously and continuously, seeking and hoping for happiness all the time. Most people think fulfilling their dreams could make them happy – finishing school, having a nice job, being successful, marrying his/her ideal mate, owning a house or a car, travelling around the world, etc. Some have simpler goals in achieving happiness like spending time with a loved one or being with the entire family – all these can no doubt bring delight to our hearts. But if you will think really hard, there is one deeper reason behind that happy feeling in such moments – it is the state of having peace of mind. We are happy to see our children finish school because we know it will lead them to financial security, thus, our peace of mind. We delight when someone we care about marries a good person because we know he/she will be well taken care of, thus, our peace of mind. We feel extremely happy to be surrounded by family members because it gives us emotional security, thus, our peace of mind. We should also keep in mind that there are people living in mansions, living luxurious lives, and people successful in their careers who will still say they are not happy in spite of it all. It could be because their possessions and social status do not give them peace of mind but rather cause them too much stress. It could be because they have become extremely anxious in keeping their wealth intact or whatever they have accumulated over the years. The worse scenario is having contracted terminal illnesses in trying to pursue what they thought would make them happy. The truth is, the things that will make us really happy are the things that would give us peace of mind; that feeling of security, serenity, contentment, and freedom. They could be the simplest things that we usually ignore or take for granted. Sometimes, we look for happiness at the wrong places, only to find out that true happiness has always been there, waving its hand at us all along.