The lifelong quest of humankind is possibly the most elusive search for life’s treasure — happiness. At each year-end, amid the forced jollity of the new year’s celebrations, the traditional introspection of the past year occurs and fixing resolutions for the year ahead. The new year creates a variety of lifestyle changes that involve the entire spectrum of mental and physical emotions. It is a time for new love to triumph and old relationships to be rent asunder, a time for changing careers as far-off pastures always look greener, and last but not least, it is also a time for dying. The principal opportunity offered by a new year is therefore life-altering change in the search for happiness.

New year’s resolutions are transient and usually forgotten by mid-year. However, for some it may be painful while for others rapturous. These occurrences cause us to reassess our life’s priorities and for many change the way they live forever.

Happiness is a state of mind which arises from the mental qualities of contentment, confidence, serenity and active goodwill. It includes the pain of losing as well as the pleasure of finding and can be experienced by every human being regardless of their circumstances or station in life.

It is usually recognised momentarily as a high point of satisfaction, which eventually dissipates over time as other activities come into life’s sharper focus. Those who believe in a Supreme Being understand that true and lasting happiness comes only with the Beatific Vision.

Happiness is composed of two types of behaviour, active and passive. We may say that the active part consists of searching and sharing, taking and giving, while the passive part is made up of security and possession. Neither part is complete by itself. Neither part gives full satisfaction if it is overemphasised. A balanced life is the happiest life and many unhappy people can, when they face the issue of their unhappiness, trace their misery to an imbalance in the quality of their lives.

The search for happiness necessitates a plan. One cannot wander aimlessly through life and expect to find happiness. This is painfully evident with the scourge of drug addiction. There will be challenges to face, otherwise the satisfaction of achievement which is one of the most potent ingredients of happiness will elude us. In planning we should decide what sort of happiness we seek, what are the ingredients and what are our greatest needs. Keep the plan simple, avoiding distractions.

In lifetime strategy planning, pay attention to little things, deflate quickly after being praised, for the society is already bloated with arrogance. Bounce back quickly from disappointment and seize those opportunities which put your special abilities to work. Seek excellence in everything attempted, and remember, if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well. Remain modest, and above all renew and revise progress periodically against your lifetime strategic plan. Happy events and happy people don’t come into our lives with a fanfare of trumpets. They enter quietly, almost unnoticed.

Happiness loves action, which includes some form of worthwhile activity. Life demands work, but happiness requires dreaming, planning, aspiring and moving from one achievement to another greater still. Idleness is a distressing state which leads only to a sense of futility. Our greatest delight is the sense of satisfaction which follows strenuous effort. At the same time, to seek what is impossible is folly. We must face facts, find our strengths and weaknesses, apply our mental ability and choose that which is in accordance with our nature and capacity while avoiding intellectual pride which comes with the acquisition of power. To be avoided in times of failure and deep disappointment is self-pity, which is the arch destroyer of character.

Those who are successful in their search for happiness form definite ideas of what they are going to do before they start to do it. Aiming at the chosen target is necessary and it must be in the bounds of reality. Many people get nowhere simply because they do not know where they want to go. To choose a goal requires a good deal of deep thought and evaluation before arriving at a decision; in short wisdom, the most accomplished thought process.

We cannot buy a ticket to happiness. It is a destination reached only as we search for a path to the Far Pavilions. Nothing good is ever gained without hard work and won without a struggle. The condition of winning happiness in life – social, business, religious or professional – demands direction and growth. The ingredients which help to create happiness such as health, wealth, honour or success in business in themselves are neutral. They are good or bad, according to the use made of them. If a person does not know how to use them, it is then better to be without them. Those who cling to the status quo have no place in the search for happiness.

We should find comfort that happiness is attainable during the human lifetime, no matter how fleeting it might be. One day in the twinkling of an eye, it would seem, we shall find ourselves in life’s departure lounge asking: Where have all the years gone? Could I have made better use of my time? Have I succeeded in my search for happiness? Is the quest in itself, perhaps, happiness?