For me happiness is really subjective, on one hand if you asked me scientifically I would tell you it's a combination of chemicals; dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin. However, if you asked me how I defined it on a philosophical level I would definitely take a pause. What happiness "is" will have a different definition for everyone, but for me I'm not sure if I have a direct definition, it's a little bit hard for me to pinpoint. I know that I am happy when I'm around people I care about, I always feel as though I'm at my happiest around my friends, but also I know that there is more to it. So I guess there isn't a perfect answer for me, I'm still figuring it out.
I think happiness is an ideal that many people are chasing for their entire lives. Not to be morbid, but I think for some people happiness isn’t possible. I think it can be achieved through a certain mindset, but I also believe that the more you chase pure happiness the less likely you are to find it. This is because we live in a flawed world, and what many consider to be true happiness, happiness that has no flaws or drawbacks, doesn’t really exist. So the more people chase this dream of pure happiness the more they are disappointed in what they find, leaving them even further from happiness than someone who wasn’t chasing happiness at all. I think happiness is possible in my life, and it is relevant, but it’s not really something I’m chasing. I am simply following my passions and living my life and it’s something I am finding along the way, in the little things. Little things like late nights watching TV in my dorm with friends, or playing soccer on the quad at 1 in the morning. It was a ton of fun, and I have tons of happy memories, but I didn’t go into those activities thinking “Maybe this will make me happy.” So I plan, and hope, that I will continue with happiness in the future, but I definitely am not planning on chasing it at any point.
