Happiness Isn’t a “Thing”
I think you’re onto something with the idea that happiness isn’t an object or a finish line. We often talk about it like it’s a destination—“I’ll be happy when I get that job” or “when I’m on vacation”—but it never sticks around long enough to feel real. Psychology backs this up a bit: studies like those on hedonic adaptation show that even after big wins (a promotion, a lottery), people’s joy spikes then fades back to baseline. Maybe happiness isn’t a “thing” you possess—it’s more fleeting, like a shadow you can’t pin down. So when you say there’s no such thing, it could mean it’s not this solid, permanent state we’ve been sold.
Being Happy Without It
Here’s where it gets wild: “You just have to be happy without it.” That feels like a call to ditch the chase and find a way to live well anyway. It’s almost defiant—like, “Fine, happiness isn’t real, but I’m not going to let that ruin me.” It reminds me of stoicism: the idea that you can’t control external stuff (like some mythical happiness jackpot), but you can control how you respond. You stop waiting for the perfect conditions and start making peace with what’s in front of you. Maybe it’s less about feeling ecstatic and more about feeling steady—content, even when life’s messy.
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