Finding Happiness

By Isabella Tricarico

It is human nature to seek happiness in life. Whether that may be through friends, sports, or another hobby that is relaxing to you, everyone is in search of that happiness. I believe in happiness, I am in constant search for it. However, my outlook on finding happiness was altered after reading a book called The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris. I found myself lost in this book, after every chapter I would be shocked at how accurate the author was in explaining how my brain worked. 

The title of the book is precisely what the book explains. The book shows how the idea of happiness society created is a trap that most humans get stuck in. We get caught ruminating over every thought that comes to our minds, failures, and hardships. Our minds are good at letting us get swallowed by our thoughts. Moments of happiness from success are clouded over by failures in a continuous cycle. Have you ever wondered why that moment of happiness can’t last forever? 

Emotions aren’t meant to stick with us forever. In the same way, you don’t want sadness to stay forever; the same is true for happiness. Human emotion is simply thoughts passing through, and we must learn to let these emotions and thoughts go. One of the concepts Harris wrote about was the ability to “detach” from your thoughts. Of course this is easier said than done, but practicing detaching is super important. When you have those negative thoughts, instead of obsessing over them, acknowledge them and let them pass on through. 

In my life, I have been trying to detach from my thoughts, even if that is one hour every day doing something that brings me joy, through an effortless hobby. I have found the importance of taking at least one hour off every day and doing something meaningful. For me, some days, that is working out. I get to work out and care for myself for one hour uninterrupted. Some days working out sounds terrible, and on that day, I find another outlet. In that hour I would have spent at the gym, I shower and follow my selfcare routine. Showing your body love is so important; it helps us get out of our heads for a few moments and escape into that place of happiness. The benefit of this routine is that you know after this hour you return to other stressors like homework or studinging, but that time of sadness and stress will also pass, just like that happy moment.