Video: There’s more to life than being happy

Struggling to find happiness in your life? You’re not alone. Though life is arguably better and more convenient for human beings than it’s ever been before in human history, more people than ever seem to be struggling with feelings of loneliness, depression and hopelessness.

In a recent TED talk, writer Emily Esfahani Smith (author of ‘The Power of Meaning: The true route to happiness’) shares her belief that happiness comes and goes and that the more important thing in life is to place a focus on finding meaning.

By retirement age, Emily explained, there’s an expectation that most people will be settled, excited to start a new chapter of their lives, and ultimately, happy. But this isn’t always the case, and, in fact, there’s much more to life than this elusive idea of ‘happy’, which can be impossible to pin down.

Data backs this up, showing that chasing happiness can make people more unhappy. The search can leave you anxious and adrift, more so than you might have been if you’d been focused in a different direction – perhaps a quest not for happiness but for meaning?

But what’s the actual difference between happiness and meaningfulness? Meaning is defined by four pillars, according to Emily’s assessment. These pillars are:

1. Belonging (which often comes from the presence of love, family and friendship in a person’s life)
2. Purpose
3. Transcendence
4. Storytelling

By seeking meaning and finding it, people become more grounded. They are more in touch with their human needs and more appreciative of the world around them. In turn, their new grounded attitude often leads to increased happiness!

Of course, it’s always possible to get off track. But if you can keep referring back to these pillars, you can keep finding your way to joy once more.

If you’re hoping to find a unique sense of meaning in your life, we would highly recommend this 12-minute TED talk as a starting point.