“Do you want my one-word secret of happiness? It’s growth — mental, financial, you name it.”
(Harold Geneen)

Positive psychology has been a booming business lately. Scores of new “paths to happiness” have filled our bookshelves and newsfeeds. The ones worth examining, however, are usually not the most popular.

Why? Because just like the most beautiful mountain vistas can only be found after the most difficult hikes, the truest paths to happiness are the ones that often take the most patience, diligence, and endurance.

We can argue about whether this is fair, but let’s not argue whether this is true. When we are growing, when we are learning, when we are stretching ourselves to do and say and be better, we are happier people.

Peace begins with pause,