The pursuit of happiness is not the path to fulfillment, in fact, happiness should not be the goal at all.

The pursuit of happiness has shaped the mindset of modern day society.

Happiness seems to be the ultimate goal for everyone. I'm here to tell you, that's completely a wrong way to go about life.

When we start a business, it's usually centered around making an income — but we soon find out, that income does not bring lasting happiness.

As female entrepreneurs, our goals must be centered around our belief that we are innately worthy of all we desire — not centered around goals that we believe will make us feel ‘happy and worthy'.

So, if happiness shouldn't be the focus, what should be the objective?

Rather than happiness, we should focus on the acceptance of ourselves, as we are, in the here and now — A.K.A. embracing our inner worthiness and wholeness.

Deep topic, I know.

Let me explain how you can do this, too!

Happiness has brain-washed you

When we tell someone to “Cheer up!” we are politely expressing that something is wrong with them, and that feeling the emotions they are feeling is somehow, wrong. We are communicating to them that they must “rush” to find their happiness again. As people mature, they come to realize that happiness should not be the goal. In our society, happiness is considered the ‘must-have' emotion that everyone ought to be feeling 24/7, 365 days a year.  That's completely false, and here's why.

Happiness should not be the goal

If we are in the pursuit of happiness, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. Why? Happiness leads to the fear of sadness. Shallow happiness is the emotional state that makes us feel as though we can barely keep our head above water — constantly snatching the next thing that will make us happy. This is desperation and lack mentality at its best.

Happiness is only experienced in basic terms, meaning once it's gone, it's gone, then we continue the pursuit. According to national surveys, happiness is the most common goal when asked, “How do you want to feel every day?”. Happiness only scratches the surface of human emotion and potential.  In short, happiness is shallow. There is something else that is far more worth the pursuit.

Related – How To Be The Boss Of Your Body's Stress Response

What to focus on, instead

Rather than reaching for the goals that you believe will bring you happiness, go inward. Expand your spirituality. Do self development work. Recognize your innate worthiness in this very moment. Doing so, will bring you a sense of comfort and happiness that you have never felt before. Business is a spiritual game, and you are worthy of all you desire in your business and life… right now.

In order to truly feel worthy of all you desire, embrace your wholeness, rather than the pursuit of happiness.  

But how does this help you in your business? Here's how!

Your story is completely unique — it's your personal brand! Every experience you have, is a chance to connect to your potential clients through telling stories. Your unique story and experiences are what make you into a whole person who is capable of impacting the world on a deeper level.  From a business perspective, it gives you a fantastic marketing edge. Your potential clients are bombarded with information-overload during their day.  You need to stand apart from the crowd, in a good way. Embracing your unique, personal brand by sharing your story, is a guarantee that you will stand out from the crowd and connect to ideal clients.

How do you do this? Focus on the pursuit of wholeness, rather than happiness. Utilize your life's story. All your experiences make you relatable, your story is a connection point with potential clients. We can experience happiness on a much deeper level when we focus on evolving into the person we are meant to be by, embracing our whole story, learning lessons and utilizing experiences to connect with our audience. Oh, and guess what? When you embrace your wholeness and realize your innate worthiness, happiness comes naturally — and it lasts!

Bad days are your certification

In the midst of a bad experience within our business or life, we may be caught thinking, “I can't wait until this is over.” or “Why does this have to happen to me…?”  We usually cannot wait to move on and are often advised to move on as quickly as possible.  We are missing a massive opportunity for growth here!  The lessons that are learnt from our darkest hours, play a huge part in your self-development.  Self-development is the key to making massive impact in the world. Without self development, our contributions as entrepreneurs and the value we offer, are limited. Now, I'm not saying that struggle is necessary in order to be worthy of achieving your goals, but life does bring challenges in which we can choose to find the lesson.

As Hugh Mackay would advise, ask yourself, “Is this contributing to my wholeness?” If you're having a bad day, it is.”  If your goal is to help others and make an impact in the world, think of your struggles as your certification and embrace your wholeness.

 

Related – Six Books That Will Actually Change Your Life in 2019

 

The conclusion — the pursuit of happiness is futile.  Happiness can be taken from us in an instant and we have nothing to show for it.  Wholeness, on the other hand, never goes away. Embracing our wholeness helps us believe how worthy we truly are. The lessons that you take with you from the darkest of times, represent your badge of honor. Discover and learn how to infuse your spirituality into your daily life so you can thrive in business (and all of life!). That, can never be taken from you. 

 

Be sure to comment with your thoughts on happiness vs. wholeness.

 

How do you feel about this topic? Which one are you currently pursuing? What are you going to do about it?

Are you on the pursuit of happiness or the acceptance of your wholeness? Comment below!

 

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