When I was younger I used to chase happiness all over the world. I was looking for it in faraway places, in experiences, in parties, in people, in achievements. The more exciting and extraordinary, the better. But the good feelings were fleeting. They never stayed for long. And so I continued my journey, forever searching.
The first time ever I experienced a deep and true feeling of happiness was during one of the roughest times of my life - when I felt shattered and when what I thought was meant to be my future had fallen into a thousand pieces. The feeling creeped out of a sense of sadness and destruction. It hit me quite unexpectedly when I drove past the beach on my way to work and witnessed the sun rising. It was during that moment that I realized that everything would be okay, that I would overcome all the mess because I had created a life with build-in happiness all around me. And that it was to be found in very ordinary everyday things.
Today happiness is a cup of coffee on my deck in the morning, my cats greeting me when I come home, strolls on the beach and chatting about the meaning of life with my friends, discovering a new flower in my garden, doing yoga while watching the waves, saltwater, the sound and smell of rain, listening to the ocean while I write into my journal. Happiness is found in both being with the people I love and in solitude. It is at home and on roadtrips. But these roadtrips do not have to lead to faraway places anymore. Because happiness is never far.
Today, I still have big dreams and am driven to make them come true. I still want to explore the world. And I love adventures and meeting new people as much as I did when I was in my twenties. But that does not define my happiness anymore, it merely adds to it. Because happiness is now, right in front and within me.
