As a 42-year-old woman, a mother of two, and an educator with 19 years of experience, I would like to share a few thoughts about happiness with young people.
First of all, I believe that one of the biggest misconceptions many young people have is thinking that happiness exists only at the destination. Sometimes our goals take years to achieve. You may set yourself a goal that takes 10 or even 20 years to reach. Does that mean you should be unhappy for all those years?
I believe happiness is found first and foremost in the journey itself—in the effort you make, the determination you show, and the process of pursuing your dreams. If your goal is to get into your dream university, happiness is hidden in the hours you spend studying, the late nights, and the perseverance you demonstrate. If your goal is to buy a car, happiness is in the work you do every day and the money you patiently save. Because on the way to your goal, you didn’t stand still—you worked, you dreamed, and you kept moving forward. Those moments are incredibly valuable.
Secondly, I believe that giving up comparison is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. One of the biggest problems today is that people constantly compare themselves with others. Social media, especially Instagram, has made this even worse. People see carefully edited lives and staged smiles and mistake them for reality. Then, if their own lives don’t look the same, they become unhappy. How sad is that?
Every life has its own beauty, and every person is the architect of their own life. Once you start comparing, there is no end to it. You can compare your car, your house, your children, your spouse, your family, your career—everything. And because there will always be someone who seems to have more, people who constantly compare themselves to others are unlikely to find lasting happiness. So, if you truly want to be happy, stop comparing yourself with others.
Finally—and I believe this is the most important point—learn to be grateful. If you know how to be grateful, your moments of unhappiness will never last very long. Being able to breathe, to walk, to wake up healthy each morning and go to school or work, having an education, a job, a family, and food in your refrigerator—these are blessings that millions of people around the world do not have. In fact, just having these basic things already places many of us among the more fortunate people in the world. Yes, I made another comparison! 😊 But this one is only to remind us how much we already have and how much there is to be grateful for.
In short, life is beautiful. Appreciate the journey, cherish your health, and treasure the people you love. Happiness is not only about reaching your destination—it is about the way you choose to live every single day.
Photo Credits
AI-generated image (created with ChatGPT)
So true! Most people often focus so much on the goals that they forget to enjoy the journey. Learning to appreciate what we have and stop comparing ourselves to others can make a real difference in our lives.