I have found that one of life’s biggest lessons is learning the difference between having fun vs. being happy.

Most people believe that happiness and fun are virtually identical. When asked to imagine a scene of happy people, most conjure up a picture of people having fun – laughing, playing games, drinking at a party, etc.

And why is ‘having fun’ such a relentless pursuit?  Why do we always seem to look for opportunities to have fun?

The most obvious reason is that fun is enjoyable, and we are programmed to pursue what we enjoy – food, drink, sex, and all the other pleasures of the senses. But there is a deeper reason why people so seriously pursue fun – they believe it will bring them happiness.??Often, however, this is a flawed premise that can lead people to irreversible unhappiness.

To understand why fun doesn’t necessarily create happiness and can even conflict with it, we should understand the major difference between fun and happiness:  fun is temporary; happiness is ongoing. Or to put it another way, fun is during and happiness is during AND after.   Read more...