A friend asked me what the point of this blog was when I first started it.

When I switched to MT, it asked me for a description. Another friend recently asked me why I used the description "in pursuit of happiness". He said it made me sound depressed.

I had to explain to him that I was not searching for temporary happiness. It wasn't until I read The Art of Happiness that my thoughts on the matter where clarified somewhat. Happiness cannot be determined by how much money you're earning or stuff you have.

For example, the initial happiness of getting a raise will soon fade and your happiness level will return to what it was before. If you weren't happy before the raise, it's unlikely you will be happy after the raise for long. That's temporary happiness.

I went through this a few years ago. I was unhappy at work. I spent the weekends shopping. Buying books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, etc. Every time I would be happy until I got home.

Then the happiness of the purchase would wear off. I reached the point where there was nothing more that I wanted to buy. There was nothing left to "make" me happy.

Nine Ways to find happiness (Scotsman) via Antipixel One of the points of the study was the link between altruistic behaviour and happiness. My oberservation is that if people are happier they are generally kinder to one another. They will consider how their actions will effect other people. They aren't out for themselves.

A personal experience was when I was in Sydney. I was in the cinema and there was a lady sitting a few seats away. The adverts were still playing, but she was coughing. My immediate feeling was annoyance.

However I stopped to think about it for a moment. She probably doesn't want to cough through the film and spoil it for everyone else. She's here to see the film the same as me. I offered her a cough sweet I happened to have on me. Everybody won.

What I'm looking for now is a more permanent happiness. To be happy with myself. To be happy with my life. Happiness is found by changing yourself and how you see the world. It should not be adversely affected by your environment or circumstance.

That's what I'm pursuing: a change in myself.