Recently I heard this saying related to happiness and it really resonated with me. After all, happiness is the goal that across the world, most people seek to obtain. The idea that really rang true is that three of the key aspects to happiness include having someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to. When I reflect on my life, and the lives of my many patients, this saying really seems accurate.
The idea behind this saying really captures the importance of having at least one other significant person in your life, being active and/or filling your life with things that you enjoy, and planning things so that there is something that you are able to get excited about and work your way towards.
Someone to Love
Having someone to love does not necessarily mean that you have to be in an intimate, romantic relationship. This “someone to love” could be a romantic partner, but it does not have to be. Perhaps it is a parent, a sibling, a child, or even a friend. And of course, we can’t rule out that “someone” to love can absolutely include a pet that you adore and care for. Essentially the “someone” in this saying is really any other being than yourself.
This is important because we are humans, and humans need interaction. Even though there are some people who can go without much interaction, especially when compared to highly social people, humans by nature are social beings. Therefore, it is crucial to our mental and emotional well-being that we have at least one other significant person or being (yes, pets included!) in our life that we can spend time with, care for, laugh with, and feel connected to.
Something to Do
Having something to do gives your life purpose.
Many people will initially relate this to having a job or a career, but the idea of having something to do does not necessarily mean so. Rather, having something to do means having an activity or a task each day that gives you purpose. Perhaps this activity is volunteering, gardening, crafting, parenting, cooking, etc.
Something to do simply means having something to focus your efforts on and fill your time. There are many, many things to do for each and every type of person regardless of situation or circumstance. Find something you enjoy and go for it.
Something to look forward to
Even though it is incredibly important to be content in life and to not constantly be looking to the next thing (or you might miss the present moment), there is something to be said about having something, or many things, to look forward to. That type of excitement cannot be replicated. In a previous blog, I wrote about being present in the moment and not allowing the future to steal your time from you. While you don’t want to allow the future to steal your present, it’s still important and part of happiness to have things in life that you look forward to.
Maybe it is a big event such as a wedding, birthday party, vacation, or maybe it is something small such as getting together with a friend for dinner. Maybe it is the are approaching weekend and knowing that you were going to hit the hiking trail, start reading a good book, or head out to the beach. Whatever it is in your life that you look forward to, having something to look forward to is critical to happiness.
We Can Help
If any of these things seem to be missing in your life, look a little bit deeper. It is very possible that those elements are present, but you have yet to give them as much credit as they deserve. Take notice of them, and increase your happiness.
If you still find that you are having trouble fulfilling any of these areas, professional help can aid you in identifying and building each of these components in your life. Likewise, there may be some things that are getting in the way of your happiness; there may be things that are getting in the way of you feeling fulfilled in your activities or that cause you to feel disconnected from those around you. Professional mental health assistance can greatly benefit you in rectifying these challenges and ultimately producing greater happiness.
We are committed to providing therapy and counseling services in a comfortable, relaxing, encouraging, and non-judgmental environment to yield the most realistic and best outcomes. Give us a call or email us today to schedule an appointment.