Happiness is a feeling of contentment, of feeling satisfied and fulfilled. While happiness is a pleasant feeling, it is often falsely equated with a state of inner peace. Placing “finding happiness” as your goal in life can perpetuate a cycle of suffering, as all feelings are temporary and come and go quickly. Many teachers from spiritual and psychological traditions reiterate that striving for happiness in itself will generally leave us feeling let down and unfulfilled, but striving for fulfilment and compassion toward others will often have the side effect of happiness.