Happiness

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The American Dream is a big part of our country. The promise of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, as stated in the Declaration of Independence, draws people from all over the world to achieve something that they could never reach before. A new life and new chances. Success.

Success is different to different people. Some people think that success can be reached through wealth, or power. Some say that success is in fame or appearance. I think that doing what you love, and finding what makes you happy is what makes you successful. If the only thing that you are working towards is an increased paycheck, you probably don't have your heart in it. Doing things that you enjoy, and having the freedom to do what you want in life is part of that success.

Different people can have different goals that would lead them to success, but in the end all these goals are contributing to make you happy. If your goal is to get a promotion at work, and you think that that will make you a success, when you achieve that goal you will be very happy. Your success leads to happiness and that is one of the reasons we like success so much.

 I think that happiness and success are connected. When you are happy, it is easier to be successful (The Happiness Advantage). You can not have success without happiness. When you see an unhappy person who doesn't really seem to enjoy what they are doing, they don't seem successful. If I met a rich person who hated their life, and a poor person who was really passionate about what they did, and loved what they did, I would definitely think that the happy person was more successful. There isn't much to life if you are just dragging through it. Doing things that you enjoy make life better.

The millions are awake enough for physical labor; but only one in a million is awake enough for effective intellectual exertion, only one in a hundred millions to a poetic or divine life. To be awake is to be alive. I have never yet met a man who was quite awake. How could I have looked him in the face?

In Where I Lived, and What I Lived For Henry David Thoreau talks about how we should try to live a simple life and enjoy it. He says that we need to wake up and start living. We can choose what we do and what we try. We should get as much as we can out of life and live to the fullest without worries.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately .. and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear... I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life. 

Thoreau went to the woods and lived. He understood how precious life is. We should all try to do what makes us happy. Living is all about how you are unique and you can pave your own trail and do what you want. It makes your life better when you are a happy person and are willing to accept what happens, be positive, and keep going.