Pursuit of Happiness
Pursuing happiness takes time—especially after going through depression or emotional trauma. Depression is a serious health condition that affects millions every year. While it can be treated with medication, therapy, and support, many people still struggle to find joy in their everyday lives.
“The only way to find true happiness is to risk being completely cut open.” — Chuck Palahniuk
If you’ve been finding it difficult to accept change or move forward with your life, you are not alone. Healing and happiness take patience, compassion, and small, consistent steps.
It’s Okay to Take Your Time
One of the worst things you can do while healing is overthink everything. Instead, pause and appreciate where you are right now. Acknowledge how far you’ve come—no matter how small the steps may seem. Every bit of progress counts.
[“Stop for a while and try to appreciate where you are now”]
Accepting your current state—your scars, your strength, and your growth—is the first step toward feeling human again. Remember, every ending marks the beginning of something new.
Joy Is a Daily Practice
Fighting depression is an ongoing battle, and happiness doesn’t appear overnight. It is something you gradually reclaim through:
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Social connection
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Routine
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Self-care
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Positive thoughts
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Enjoyable activities
The more you engage with life, the more you invite joy to return. Go for walks, talk to people who uplift you, watch comforting TV shows, revisit a hobby—even if it doesn’t excite you at first. Doing these things regularly helps reignite your inner spark.
Choose Progress Over Perfection
You don’t have to feel great every day to know you’re getting better. Avoid punishing yourself for feeling sad. Highs and lows are a natural part of life.
Instead of criticizing yourself, offer kindness and space to feel whatever you’re feeling. Talk to friends. Laugh, even if it feels forced. Remind yourself: You are enough, as you are, right now.
Inner Peace Is Possible
When you actively pursue joy—even in the smallest of ways—you begin to feel human again. Pursuing happiness means learning to trust yourself, forgive your past, and open your heart to possibility.
Happiness is not a destination. It’s a journey—one that starts with believing healing is possible.
It is hard to make ourselves stop and take a moment to acknowledge the things that are good right now but it is so essentially and beneficial to finding Joy.
Depression is real! You’re right, it may take many methods to prevent and cure this disease. Great methods! Thx for sharing.
I think it is important to enjoy what is around you. Happiness is available when and where you take it.
Debbie Denny, So true Pursuit of happiness is available.
Depression is no joke and the worse part about it is that people don’t even realize that they are depressed. Because of that fave it makes it very hard to focus on the the good things and such because mm most times you don’t even know that there is an issue.
Thanks for posting this. I will get down now and again and have to think about all the wonderful things I have in my life and how joyous I should be. My bible is my biggest boost during that time
Tammy, The word is powerful isn’t and a great boost as you said thanks for your support.
It’s not going to happen overnight and sometimes you have to remember that life can bring you down even in the midst of happiness. You have to say each morning you get up that I will be happy and find the good no matter what
Kita,
I am going to passed your motivational idea with my friends thanks for your support.
I actually just met a lady yesterday who said her friend’s son just killed himself and they were on there way to him. He was in another state. So very sad.
Holly,
Thank you for sharing your story.
Depression is the worst – whether it is the winter blues or a deep depression 🙁 Thanks for the tips!
Encouraging post for those who suffer from depression on the regular, and even those of us so have moments of feeling depressed from time to time.
Depression is a heck of a disease that makes the small things hard to enjoy. I battled with it after losing my mother and having my daughter. Both events happened within two months of each other and it made it hard to enjoy after I first had her.
Tiki,
Thanks for your honesty about depression continue to share your story.
Depression was part of our life. I am in the process of depression right now and it is really hard. This make me sick for a couple of days
Victoria, I understand, if you can find someone you trust to talk with or as a support to help you get through this difficult times. If it becomes so unbearable seek help but its important for you to know you are not alone.
Looking at the little blessings that you receive definitely helps. Even eating your favorite bowl of cereal can be something to look forward to. It’s really about how you see things that would help you cope with depression or sadness.
Elizabeth O, Thanks for your response I see it everyday things we take for granted a bowel of cereal makes the kids happy so true.
Depression is very serious problem and try to discuss with family, close friends or seek medical attention.
Rika, Glad you liked and thanks for your support.
I’ve been trying to appreciate where I am in life right now. Good or bad I need to trust the process and that is a tough lesson but I’m trying.
Mini“MimiCuteLips” Green, You will be all right!
These are great suggestions. Punishing yourself for feeling bad will not help at all. This will only make you feel worse about yourself. Think happy thoughts to fight the bad feelings.
Ourfamilyworld, Glad you like thanks for your support.
I am definitely at a point where I need to stop and appreciate where i am now and show gratitude. It is so easy to feel like you are falling behind so I am going to work on this seriously.
Thank you for sharing us this another great article, I agree happiness take time.
I love the advice not to isolate yourself. That’s very important to remember, it does help / do you good, to be out and about.
This is so true. Forcing yourself out of the funk and doing something you used to love to do is a great way to help pull yourself out of it.
Glad you like Stephanie.
It is so important to take the time and appreciate what you have and to enjoy it! Thank you for sharing such a great message.
I suffer from seasonal blues whenever the fall comes in… The best thing for me is to go into deep
meditation , exercise, and eat plenty of raw foods… This keeps me from laying down and wallowing in it. This seems to help me a lot. My dad and my aunt suffer from it too. My aunt needs medication for it. I am not really sure how my
Dad copes with it. I am sure his religion is a big part of it.
AishaAdams, I understand if it gets worse ask for help….Seasonal blues.
I agree, in order to be happy you have to look for the joy. I always try to be appreciative and look for the good.
It keeps you going. And in the end it all adds up to the bigger picture.
~Lea
I agree with this. It does take time and patience and this apply in all aspect in life.
I feel down from time to time mainly because of goals I’ve failed to achieve. I just have to remember everything takes time. I think of the positive rather than the not so positive.
These are such important tips! Depression is so real, and I hate that there is still a stigma attached to it. I thank you for shedding so much light on this topic because it’s so important. I have a friend who suffers from it and she always tells me the importance of not allowing herself to stay in that emotion of feeling down.
Christine @MomsNCharge, Yes its important not to stay in the emotion of feeling down find ways to make you happy.
Patrice I’m unable to subscribe to your site please fix. I also suffer deeply with depression, anxiety, and Schizophrenia….Mental Health problems galore. I love reading you’re comments on here and Google plus thank you for sharing and helping to keep the illness at a minimum.
Paul, I am sorry you are having difficulty subscribing need to know specific thank you for your support. I any other problem please free to contact me.