Why Don't I Feel Happy? An Eternal Search In A Temporary World

From the moment we are born, we are conditioned to believe that happiness is something we can acquire — through achievements, relationships, possessions, or experiences. We spend our lives chasing after these promises, hoping that the next promotion, the next relationship, the next vacation will finally deliver the lasting happiness we’ve always longed for. Yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we find a recurring truth: every time we grasp something that once seemed so important, its satisfaction fades. The thrill wears off. The novelty dies. And we are left, once again, searching.

This is the cruel dance of the material world — everything is temporary. Time strips even the most beautiful moments from our grasp, and even when things go well, there is an underlying anxiety that it won’t last. Whether through loss, boredom, or change, everything in this world is marked by impermanence. This is why, no matter how much we acquire or experience, a deep, unshakable happiness continues to elude us. We might taste joy, but it never stays for long. And this is not by accident — it is the very nature of this world. It is designed to keep us searching, but never fully satisfied, because we are looking in the wrong place.

True happiness doesn’t come from what we take, but from what we give. It is in servitude — in selfless acts of love, care, and dedication — that we tap into a deeper, more enduring joy. When we live solely for ourselves, the world feels small, and the emptiness grows louder. But when we serve — whether it is our family, friends, community, or the broader world — we connect to something greater than ourselves. We become conduits of love, compassion, and meaning. Service transforms us from isolated beings trying to conquer the world into humble participants in the grand symphony of life.

Even deeper than serving people is the act of serving the Divine. When our actions, words, and thoughts are offered not for our own glory, but in devotion to a higher truth, we experience a happiness that is both transcendent and grounded. In the path of Bhakti, this is the ultimate goal — to reconnect with the Divine through loving service. In that connection, the soul remembers its original nature: one of bliss, knowledge, and eternity. Unlike material pleasures, this happiness does not diminish, because it is rooted in our eternal relationship with the source of all existence.

So if the world feels hollow, if happiness seems fleeting, perhaps the solution is not in chasing more, but in giving more. When we serve with sincerity — our family, our community, the planet, and the Divine — happiness arises not as a pursuit, but as a byproduct of living in alignment with who we truly are. In service, the restless search ends, and fulfilment begins.