UWRT 1102

Final Paper
Moriah Miller
November 15, 2015

The Pursuit of Happiness

Happiness. (n). 1. A state of well-being and contentment

2. A pleasurable or satisfying experience
Success. (n).

1. The fact of getting or achieving wealth, respect, or fame

2. The correct or desired result of an attempt
3. The accomplishment of an aim or purpose

Religion. (n).

1. The belief in God or in a group of gods

2. an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship God or a
group of gods.
3. an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or a group

These are common interpretations of happiness, success, and religion as defined by

Merriam-Webster. All three, to some degree, vary from my understanding of the words themselves. To
me these words connote so much that it is nearly impossible to confine them in a definition. I do
believe that the three work hand in hand throughout our lives to give us a sense of fulfillment. When
the choices we make sabotage one of the three, there is disharmony.
Webster states happiness may be a pleasurable or satisfying experience. Vocabulary.com
defines happiness as the feeling that comes over you when you know life is good and you cant help
but smile. Its the opposite of sadness. So between Webster and Vocabulary.com we have happiness as
the direct result of an experience and as something purely emotional. These concepts of happiness fall

far short of lasting, and I propose leave us more frustrated and fearful than happy. We are frustrated
that the emotion is fleeting, and we cling to our experiences for fear of losing happiness.. Consider the
United States Declaration of Independence which claims that all men have a right to "Life, Liberty and
the Pursuit of Happiness". (Jefferson) It would be short sighted to believe our Founding Fathers were
speaking of an emotion or event. They were speaking of the human freedom to find fulfillment.
Fulfillment requires a sense of satisfaction and stability that cannot be dependant on outside sources or
outcomes.
Shawn Achor, positive psychologist, defines happiness as a mindset, almost tangible if you
create the right habits and pathways in your brain and live with the right perspective. Whether
happiness is uncovered, fostered, pursued, or is available at any given time is the subject of much
research and debate, as well as the subject of Achors numerous speaking engagements. Achor
conducted much of his initial happiness research on the campus Harvard University. Most surprisingly,
Achor found that within the first two weeks of students starting at the
school of their dreams, they had already fallen into despair over their
looming workload. Admittance to Harvard stopped shockingly short of
bringing them the everlasting happiness they had banked on their entire
lives. Achor advocates that happiness is based on perspective and that
our circumstances predict only 10% of our happiness. The other 90% is
determined by how we perceive our circumstances and surroundings. In
short, we have the ability to be happy anywhere. It helps to remind
ourselves there is only so much we
http://relationshiparts.com/?attachment_id=69
can do about what happens to us, 6but we can do something about what happens in us. As humans we
are granted with free will and with that comes responsibility of making choices. Every day we are given

the choice to allow negativity to seep into our thought process and consume us, or to deny that and
focus on our blessings and gratitude. Achors research shows that often the negative aspects of our lives
choke out the room in our brain that we should be using to allow for happiness. The brain is a single
processor and cannot devote itself to more than one emotion at a time. If we constantly stay focused on
the negatives, we will never be happy, it doesnt matter what we do or what happens to us. Achor is not
suggesting we live in denial of the hardships around us, simply that we stay out of self-pity,
complaining, and victimhood. (Achor)
To counteract the damage negativity does in our lives, Achor suggests five small things to add
in our daily routine that will keep happiness more present in our brains and prevent us from
self-centeredly focusing on discomfort and negativity. The first step is to list three gratitudes daily.
This helps set the lens through which we will view our day. Evidence suggests that we can actively
choose to practice gratitude-and that doing so raises our happiness.(Brooks) A 2003 study asked one
group of people to make a weekly gratitude list as another group listed problems. At the end of the ten
week study the gratitude community enjoyed significantly greater life satisfaction that the others.
(Brooks) Gratitude changes happiness.
Second, Achor suggests journaling, because it forces you to remember and dwell on a
meaningful experience The third step is to exercise. The body responds to ten minutes of cardio in
such a way that is equivalent to one dose of antidepressant medication. Fourth, make time to meditate.
Meditation reduces the negative effects of acting blindly and unintentionally throughout the day. It also
serves to combat another form of self-sabotaging thinking, the dangers of living in the past and in the
future.
The Screwtape Letters, a novel by C.S. Lewis, is a record of letters from the demon Screwtape
to his protege, Wormwood. In the letters the two discuss methods of robbing humans of fulfillment
through faith. They confess that the the present is the closest we ever com to eternity, because the past

is done and the future never comes, so their goal is to keep the humans focused on the past or future.
Keeping the heart and intentions set on the future is foolish and fruitless..(Lewis) Josh Garrels has
lyrics in his song, Farther Along, that depict the hopelessness that results in both loss of present
connection and false hopes. Hangin on by the last threads of our hope, in a house of mirrors full of
smoke, confusing illusions Ive seen. The future is exactly that, smoke and mirrors, indistinct
illusions.
Lastly, Ancho encourages the performance of random acts of kindness. Reaching out to
connect with others increases your social support network, creates deeper relationships with the people
you invest in, and builds community. (Achor)
A grateful and positive outlook is not enough. A sense of success is another important aspect
of fulfillment. As much as the definitions for happiness vary, the concept of success varies as well.
Dictionary.com defines it as achieving the goal, having the desired outcome, the thing you wish for
and work towards being realized. To an extent, yes. This is short term success. But how does it relate
to overall happiness and lifetime success? Consider Achors Harvard schoolmates. He discovered they
found very little fulfillment in the success of their admittance to Harvard, good grades, diplomas, six
figure jobs, etc. They were always chasing the next success. How can success be based on an
outcome anyway? So many factors are beyond our control that the outcome may be forever elusive and
leave us disillusioned and powerless. (Achor)
Reverend Washington Jarvis makes a convincing case in his essay, How Can I Be Happy?
IN the essay Jarvis argues against the superficial success that comes from getting what you wanted,
even if it is what you worked toward to exhaustion. While the immediate elation can bring you joy,
there is far less to be learned from our successes than failures, and learning that what you have in mind
isnt always best for you is a priceless lesson to be accepted. (Jarvis, 42-49)

Dr. Denis Waitley presents his research on success in his book, The Psychology of Winning,
which specifies primarily how critical thinking, self awareness, empathy, and aptitude can put you on
the track to success. (Waitley, 20-28) All of this speaks to having a purpose. Success can be found in
having a purpose that you believe, growing in that purpose, and staying true to it. So often we
compromise ourselves and abandon ourselves in pursuit of an event or reward. True reward lies in
knowing I made a difference. I grew. I learned. These things are satisfying.
There is an element of success that requires it to be shared in order to be complete. In his essay,
Jarvis displays convictions that success is linked to the importance of human relations and that these
relationships are necessary in order to self-actualize, or understand ones self and purpose. (42-49)
This echos Achors encouragement toward acts of kindness and connecting with those around us. We
were made to be in communion with one another and human life is a gift. There are those who need
more space than others and solitude has its place, but look in any prison and you will find that isolation
is the cruelest form of punishment. The self inflicted isolation narrated in John Krakauers novel, Into
the Wild, outlines two years of Christopher McCandless life when he was looking for happiness
through seclusion, escape, and self discovery. While I think in the beginning of his journey this solitude
was essential and McCandless discovers his purpose, ultimately he is unhappy and lonely, and he dies.
Even he, who yearned for communion with himself and his surroundings to escape the toxic society he
was apart of, eventually discovered that happiness is only real when shared.(Christopher
McCandless) (Krakauer ) As both Jarvis and
Achor advocated, we need connection with
something outside ourselves to find complete
success.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bernard-marr/7-excuses-that-will-hold-you-back-from-success_b_7099562.html

If success is tied to having a purpose and staying true to that purpose in all our ways, what does
that purpose look like? This is where religion comes in. From the beginning of time people have been
trying to define their understanding of our purpose in this life and have debated over the existence of a
higher being. Personally, my belief in God, my higher power and creator, is essential to by peace and
sense of fulfillment. It gives my life purpose and direction, and I know I am in good hands. That being
said, as stated at the beginning of this paper one definition of religion is an interest, a belief, or an
activity that is very important to a person or a group. Religion is what is supremely important to you.
Our religion or spirituality, that sustaining core belief that we lean on and trust in drives our purpose
and provides the motivation for all we do. It is the base of our integrity. It is the thing we move in
harmony with or violate. This purpose, based in our religion is the beginning of the pursuit of
happiness, of fulfillment. In his song, Ulysses, Josh Garrels speaks to the distractions of the world and
the safety and happiness found in the love of others and our God. He sings, Trouble has beset my ways
and wicked winds have blown, Sirens call my name, they say theyll ease my pain, then break me on
the stones. But true love is the burden that will carry me back home, carry me with the memories of the
beauty I have known. In Greek Mythology Ulysses single purpose was to return home to his wife,
Helen. He would not be diverted. Josh Garrels sings to
his commitment to his purpose, to what is important, to
the testimony of being able to stay strong and focused
on his ultimate purpose which is glorifying Christ and
inheriting his Kingdom. Our truth, our purpose, keeps
us going and steadfast against the false gods, idols, and
distractions of this world.
https://etinkerbell.wordpress.com/tag/ulysses/

Perhaps the simplest way to conclude an understanding of the pursuit of happiness is to look at
the process of its derailment. Lack of happiness or fulfillment in life begins when we abandon our
purpose. This begins a downward spiral. We start to strive for something outside of ourselves, trying to
regain our footing, and forget what is important. We are often tossed from one pursuit to another. Our
efforts are futile or provide temporary relief at best. Negative thinking and despair set in and
exacerbate the problem. In this state it is nearly impossible to connect with others in a healthy way
and find fulfillment.
The pursuit of happiness is a pursuit available to anyone at any time. It involves searching for
your faith and heart's desire to set your purpose, staying true to that purpose in your choices and
contributing to your fellows through commitment to that purpose, and maintaining a mindset of
gratitude at the privilege it is to be alive. This is a pursuit that makes life worth living.

WORKS CITED
Achor, Shawn. National Multiple Sclerosis Society. National Conference 2011. YouTube. 2011.
Web. 18 Feb. 2014. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iLI8V6PFwA
Brooks, Arthur C. "Choose to Be Grateful. It Will Make You Happier." The New York Times. The
New York Times, 21 Nov. 2015. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/22/opinion/sunday/choose-to-be-grateful-it-will-make
-you-happier.html?_r=0>.
"Christopher McCandless." BrainyQuote.com. Xplore Inc, 2015. 9 December 2015.
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/christophe473533.html

Dictionary.com Dictionary.com LLC, 1995. Web. 20 Feb, 2014

"Find out How Strong Your Vocabulary Is and Learn New Words at Vocabulary.com."
Vocabulary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2015. <http://www.vocabulary.com/>
Garrels, Josh. Ulysses. and Farther Along. Love and War and the Sea In Between. Small
Voice
Records, 2011. CD.
Jarvis, F. Washington. "How Can I Be Happy?" With Love and Prayers: A Headmaster Speaks to
the next Generation. Boston, MA: David R. Godine, 2000. 42-49. Print
Krakauer, Jon. I nto the Wild. New York: Anchor, 1997. Print.
Lewis, C. S. "15." T
he Screwtape Letters. London: Collins, 1956. N. pag. Print..

Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster Inc.,2014. Web. 22 Feb. 2014

Waitley, Denis. "Positive Self-Awareness." The Psychology of Winning. New York: Berkley,
1984. 20-28. Print.