All of us seek happiness and fulfillment in our lives. But despite our desire to attain happiness we often fail to understand what happiness is, mistaking it for pleasure or gratification. Pleasure, in other words, is only one dimension of happiness. Pursuing pleasure does not guarantee overall life satisfaction. In addition, decades of research present a contradiction which suggests that focussing too much on happiness in life may in fact prevent you from achieving it. True happiness is a consequence and not a goal. It is a by-product of other worthwhile activities. What Is Happiness? Research has found the two critical components of happiness are engagement and meaning. Engagement refers to the creative application of our skills to meet challenges. Positive psychologists study this phenomenon called ‘flow’ which is a state of complete engrossment in what we are doing. When we are engaged, we do our best, employ our full potential, matching our skills to the task at hand. Meaning involves using our abilities to do greater good. We dedicate our time and energy to contribute to the larger society, and for a purpose bigger than our personal goals and desires. What Determines Happiness? An interesting and ambitious research named ‘The Harvard Grant Study’, undertaken by a group of Harvard scientists to study happiness across a lifespan of 75 years sheds light on the secrets to a fulfilling life. The results of this study were groundbreaking, and can help us in pursuit of a happy life. One of the key research findings may seem rather obvious but that does not make it any less true. Love is extremely significant to a happy and fulfilling life. In fact it is one of the main pillars of happiness. Without loving and supportive relationships, everything else becomes useless. Successful career, money, good physical health, everything becomes irrelevant in the face of loneliness. Money and power does not bring happiness. Several studies have echoed this truth time and again. We often strive to achieve power and wealth, in the hopes that it would help us acquire joy in life. While they may help us get comfortable lives, they are only small parts of a much larger picture. Relying on these two factors for a fulfilled life will only result in disappointment. The Grant’s Study findings also showed that feeling connected to one's work was far more important than making money or achieving traditional success and that regardless of how you start off in life, you can become happy. The challenges you confront in life, and the perspectives it confers to you have a strong impact on a fulfilled life. Creative expression is another way to productively deal with challenges and achieve meaning and well-being. How Can A Life Coach Help You Attain Happiness? Understanding happiness and living a conscious life can help you find fulfillment in life. Often, these very fundamental aspects of happiness seem lost to us. A professional life coach is someone who has discovered the secrets to happiness, and who shares their expertise with you to help implement these values into your life. Relationship coaching can greatly enhance the quality of your relationships, helping you achieve happiness and satisfaction. Resolving dissatisfaction faced in your career can be a deterrent for finding fulfillment in life. Career coaching helps you identify these issues and help sort them for the better. Unlocked potential aids you in uncovering these secrets in your life with their expert guidance!