All through out our lives we are constantly badgered to "Cheer up," "Be happy," "Smile a little more." Suddenly our happiness- something some vague in definition yet so life-dependent- has become an overused command towards someone under the discretion of other people. But what is happiness? Why is it so important? The obvious - it's undefinable. Happiness exists amongst innumerable amounts of things, emotions, anything. There is no limit to happiness or how one can achieve it. So then if happiness is that easy to achieve why do we see so many people undergoing struggles and simply unable to find even the smallest happiness. First and foremost, happiness is easily masked under the heaps of emotions we reluctantly yet so naturally hide beneath the surface. It's okay to feel as though happiness is sometimes out of your reach. It takes time and patience to realize how to make yourself happy, and in understanding how to do so what we tend to forget time after time is that to make yourself happy you must focus on yourself and yourself only. I know, so "selfish," right? Wrong.We must make our happiness a top priority over all else. Our happiness determines what we are able to and want to succeed in, our motivation, our spirit. Happiness goes far beyond a facial expression.

So we sit here, as I am now, wondering what is happiness? I don't get it. Isn't it so simple? Happiness remains something that we will always have to strive for. As a Chinese proverb states, “The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us.” Don't feel as though you always have to dictate your happiness-- we become far too distraught over all the things we can't control, can't change, or can't make happen. Remaining hung up on the won't happens, can't haves and not good enoughs will never lead us to the happiness we are forever craving. So the importance of happiness? To finally let yourself go along with the unforeseen ways of life, to let yourself live without any burdens or limitations. To disregard the stress of expectations. It's easier said than done, of course. What isn't? But once you find yourself encompassed with the presence of happiness under your own decision you will finally understand. Understand what? Happiness is undefinable - but you will understand.