What’s Really Keeping Us from Happiness?

The other day, I asked our friend ChatGPT a big question:
“What keeps people from being happy?”

It’s something that’s been on my mind for a while.
What it gave me back… was astonishing.

For the first time in a while, I no longer felt alone.
And it made me wonder—did it tell me what I needed to hear, or just what I wanted to hear?

In short, the answer was this:

We rarely stop.
We don’t stand still long enough to feel life.
Instead, we distract ourselves—scrolling, binge-watching, staying on autopilot.
And the moments we do feel alive? They’re rare. Fleeting.

I’m paraphrasing, but that was the heart of it.

It felt familiar. Too familiar.

Still, I didn’t want to just rely on AI, so I Googled:
“Causes of unhappiness.”

Surprise, surprise—almost the exact same list popped up. Here’s a snapshot of what I found:

• Comparing yourself to others

• Isolating yourself

• Negative thinking

• Unhealthy or unfulfilling relationships

• Low self-esteem

• Regret

• Poor diet

• Not getting enough sleep

• Health issues

• Lack of confidence

• Addiction (even to unhappiness itself)

• Financial stress

• Insecurity

• Lack of meaning

• Not living in the present

• Not spending time alone

• Mental health struggles

• Persecution complex

It made me wonder:
Do the people who seem happy or successful just carry these things with them and move forward anyway?

Because if we’re human—really human—I doubt any of us are totally free from these things.
No way.

So maybe it’s not about getting rid of them completely.
Maybe it’s about facing them and choosing to carry on with them.

As for how to do that?

I know my answer.
But I’m not spilling the beans—not today.

Sorry, not sorry.
Even knowing what to do doesn’t mean it’s easy. And that’s a whole challenge in itself.

That’s it for today.
Just a short one—but maybe it makes you stop and reflect, too.

Kids From Bromo i remember smiling when i saw them laugh.