The Truth Behind Happiness

It's abundantly clear to me that people today are each very unique individuals.

We have our own life experiences, our own values, desires, fears, and ambitions. When we look at our political landscape it seems like we have these little boxes that we can put people into where we think that based on their political affiliation we essentially know their position on every debate currently raging in our world.

To me, that's just not true. I've also observed that people believe health and happiness come in a one size fits all package (often with a hefty price tag). For all our differences I believe that humans share three universally common desires. 

People, all people want to be happy. And if we are happy we will want to be healthy so that we can live a long life. If we are able to live a long life filled with happiness then we will want someone to share that life with, we will want to be loved. The desire to be happy, healthy, and loved I believe is common to all human beings, how we go about achieving them is where we start to differ. 

So how do we find health, happiness, and love? When I pick up a newspaper or open my browser the latest headlines are right there for my convenient consumption. There's generally not much health, happiness, or love in the world, I guess feeling good doesn't sell? Well, it seems that it might not sell newspapers, but health and happiness are far from short on investors. 

By the end of 2022 the Canadian Government is projected to be spending over 300 billion on health care, that's $8563 per resident with hospitals accounting for just under 25% of the bill. It's not just the government throwing money at health and happiness, The global wellness industry has now grown to over $4 Trillion annually, which would imply that many people are getting wealthy, but is anyone getting healthy or happy?

I have observed countless examples of promises to reduce weight, increase energy, and feel young again, you know the things that everyone desires. These offers come with dancing coaches on paid social media ads, some of whom have credentials, many of whom do not. You can get the one-time chance to pay $5 for something they claim is easily worth over $2000, or if you prefer you can pay $2000 for something you'll likely discover isn't worth $5. Everyone has an angle, everyone has a system, and everyone has something to sell. 

As a human being with a passion for life, it bothers me to see others struggle, I see the snake oil salesman lurking with a big smile and the perfect promise walking with his arm around trusting people. I know that happiness doesn't come in a pill. I know it doesn't come with a prescription. Once upon a time, I thought it was as simple as eating right and exercising, but I've learned that just isn't the case. We all want the easy button, the quick fix, the pill, or the surgery. Just cut out my suffering, and give me a double injection of joy the people scream inside their heads. 

Like many others my story didn't begin with trying to help others, it began with trying to save myself. The realization that I hadn't lived the life I wanted, and the knowledge that with age things weren't going to get any easier.

Along with my wife Melissa, I started a journey to do things differently, to remove the boundaries I set in my own mind, to seek out knowledge, and to share it. I have found happiness, health, and love, and I'm fighting hard to keep them. 

My journey is far from complete, my quest for knowledge is never-ending. Knowledge comes in books, on PodCasts, in documentaries, and from the mouths of the people, we meet. There's something to be learned from everyone, and no one person knows all the answers. It's my journey, but I'm not alone I have my wife Melissa, and an incredible group of like-minded people in a group we call Thrive. I don't believe the past guarantees the future (good or bad), I don't believe in finish lines, but I do believe that what we believe is usually less than what we are truly capable of. 

Share your thoughts in the comments or reach out to me I love hearing your thoughts.

Written by Timothy Weatherall