The Pursuit of Happiness (2017)

Social media has become a source of constant comparison between ourselves and our peers, which can lead to us feeling like we’re not doing as well or enjoying life as much as others. It often seems that everyone on social media is happier and more fulfilled than you.Neil Pasricha, author of Two Minute Mornings: A Journey to Win Your Day Every Day, says people want to be happy, more than anything. We also know what to do to become happy, because the research has been done. The biggest roadblock to our happiness is anxiety, we live in a high-pressure world, which seems to zap the happiness from us. Sharon Weil, author of ChangeAbility: How Artists, Activists, and Awakeners Navigate Change, says that we are always changing. While writing her book she found that timing is everything. When change is too slow, too fast, or comes out of nowhere, it can be upsetting, causing shock and grief, which leave little room for joy.It’s important to take time for yourself during changes, according to Weil. This is because we experience fear during a change, which causes our body go into anxiety mode. If we stop and take time to just even focus on our breathing we can reverse the fear and prevent an anxiety attack. The fear is what actually takes the happiness from us, and if we can learn how to reverse it, then the happier we can be.Fears can also keep us from making changes that will make us happier. A lot of people fail at resolutions and goals because the motivation is not big enough to overcome their fear of change. Most successful changes happen when we are motivated by someone or something we love. Fear holds us back, but love seems to send us forward towards a happier life.