Can you measure happiness and find purpose in life?

Finding and measuring happiness has been an ongoing search and discussion topic for the majority of human existence.  Many philosophers, poets, authors, and scientists have shared profound theories and provided various, meaningful insights.  However, this subject will forever continue to be debated among humans.  James Hamblin wrote a great article in The Atlantic, where he interviewed Dan Buettner, who wrote for the National Geographic while searching the globe for the healthiest people. He contributed his unique thoughts on finding happiness that, in my opinion, is helpful in two ways.   It is relevant to current times and, more importantly, it is a simplistic view.  As the saying goes, sometimes we can make a mountain out of a molehill.  People have dedicated a vast amount of their time looking for internal happiness or for their purpose in life, instead of just choosing to live in the current moment.  There will never be one, magic answer or path to the pursuit of happiness.  Every person will have their own unique balance of important attributes such as health, environment, influences, and various experiences. One thing is certain, we can all have happiness and purpose in our lives and the journey to find it can be the best and most rewarding part.

What have you found that contributes to your overall happiness in life?  Please share your comment below.

Written by Robert Connolly

Quote from Dan Buettner to sum up my post:

So if all you’re doing is pursuing your purpose, or if all you’re doing is very goal-oriented, you forgo joy today for a perceived better future. We now know that humans reliably mis-predict what will make them happy in the future.

Source: A Guide to Finding Happiness: Dan Buettner’s ‘Blue Zones’ – The Atlantic