On the "Pursuit of Happiness" and Other Lies We Learned by Heart

In the United States, "the pursuit of happiness" has always been tied to economic production. "Happiness" is not something that is already here. It's something that's found at the end of a long chase.

Our economy, the way it's set up, can't prosper if we realize that the things that make us happy can't be bought. From day one, we've been taught that we need to steal happiness from others and from the earth and convert it into material wealth to secure happiness for ourselves.

Gratitude is waking up to the fact that it's possible to be happy now. It's looking around and recognizing that what makes us happy is found in our relationships to ourselves, and to each other and to the earth.

From this place of happiness grounded in relationship, we can move toward the world with more reciprocity and compassion. Take a moment and look around. What are you grateful for, even now, in this super challenging time? How can you use this sense of gratitude to create more happiness for yourself and others?