I have just watched the Simon Pegg film ‘Happiness’ and recommend it as a feel good film. It tells the story of Hector a psychiatrist in search of happiness and what it represents to various individuals.

As always I scribbled copious notes with brilliant quotes for my own research. One which succinctly captured how I view as being important in my own relationships; ‘Listening is loving’ . Let’s face it sometimes that is all somebody requires to be listened to and their feelings acknowledged.

Hector meets a collection of wise and interesting people who all have their valid opinions. One being based on how we perceived life as a child and as an adult. I.e. as a child we experience untarnished joy and all is right in our world (hopefully), whereas as an adult the more we focus on our own happiness the more it appears to elude us.

At one stage happiness is revealed as learning and whether it should be ‘pursuit of happiness or the happiness of pursuit’. The latter sits comfortably with me as I am often extremely happy and fulfilled when I am learning something new as part of my own self development and finding the answers… to what maybe has previously eluded me!

Seriously though the film touches on some of the obvious which many of us seem to forget; we can’t touch happiness and happiness for some maybe a case of simply answering their calling.

One I particularly loved; ‘Happiness is being loved for who you are!’

The film more or less concluded that ‘we have an obligation to be happy’ and I will go along with that one too but recognise that statement in itself puts pressures on people who may be struggling in life.

Live a day at a time and be grateful.. helps to keep everything in perspective.