We spend much of our lives focused on becoming happy. We pursue happiness as if it were a destination on a map that we must reach before sunset. What is happiness? Will this endless search lead to happiness? What is happiness? Happiness is a feeling or emotional response to your mood and external environment. As humans we are innately driven by pain and pleasure. It's not necessarily about actual pain or pleasure, but about our perception of whether an event can lead to a painful or pleasurable experience. We fall into the trap of chasing an emotional response; our desire to achieve happiness ultimately leads us to exhaust ourselves by bowing to the pressure to be happy and chasing possessions, the perfect body or a dream job. At this point it is easy to conclude that the search for happiness makes us unhappy but, upon closer inspection, this is not really the case. Could our mindset or focus be making us unhappy? This feeling of exhaustion is never linked to the search for a satisfied and balanced life; it is the direct result of persistently mindlessly pursuing one or two things while neglecting everything else. Dissatisfaction When you pursue a feeling you will never be satisfied because you are pursuing an outcome and instead looking for paths that lead to the desired emotional response. I want you to think about a time when you were truly happy. What was your life like? What were you doing? Who was involved? How does it feel? Right now I'm happy, but there have been other moments where I've been happy that reveal something a little unexpected. I was 29 years old and living in Melbourne. I had an amazing group of friends, a well-paying job, and volunteer production management…half of paper…balance in your life? How to Restore Balance Take time to reflect on the seven key areas of your life: health, personal (emotions, mindset), career, wealth, relationships, leisure, and contribution. Give each area a score out of 10. Take note of the areas that score less than seven, or choose two or three that are most important to you. Ask yourself: What does this area of ​​my life look like right now? Be honest and write a short description. Now consider what you would like these areas to look like? Write them down and set goals that help you close the gap between where you are and where you want to be. Have you recently restored balance to your life? How did you achieve this result? Please let me know by leaving a comment below; leave as many details as possible.Works Cited2013, Tony Robbins, Re-Awaken the Giant Within2012, The Happiness Trap