--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Searching for happiness prevents us from…" description: "\"Searching for happiness prevents us from ever finding it.\" — Pema Chodron" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61a/pema-ch-dr-n-327_finding_searching-for-happiness-prevents-us-from_2387125.png" --- # Searching for happiness prevents us from ever finding it. ![“Searching for happiness prevents us from ever finding it.” quote by Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61a/pema-ch-dr-n-327_finding_searching-for-happiness-prevents-us-from_2387125.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61a/pema-ch-dr-n-327_finding_searching-for-happiness-prevents-us-from_2387125.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61a/pema-ch-dr-n-327_finding_searching-for-happiness-prevents-us-from_2387125.png) > “Searching for happiness prevents us from ever finding it.” [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement warns that actively seeking happiness can paradoxically keep it out of reach. **In simple terms:** Chasing happiness can make it elusive. Key Takeaway Focus on present experience rather than pursuit. Themes mindfulness contentment desire Mood calm reflective Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - meditation - daily gratitude - stress reduction Key Concepts Buddhist philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What practices help you find contentment? - How does desire affect your sense of peace? A Different Perspective Happiness may arise spontaneously, not through forceful seeking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Finding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding/) [Findings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/findings/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Prevents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-prevents-5932414/) [Prevents Finding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prevents-finding-5932415/) [Searching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/searching/) [Searching for happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/searching-for-happiness/) [Searching Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/searching-happiness-277568/) ## Related quotes > [Everyone, without exception, is searching for happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/everyone-without-exception-is-searching-for-happiness/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Many people go from one thing to another searching for happiness But with each new venture they find themselves more confused and less happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/many-people-go-from-one-thing-to-another-searching-for-happiness-but/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [If you are searching for happiness look in the mirror not for guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livefree2dream44/if-you-are-searching-for-happiness-look-in-the-mirror-not-for-guys/) [Livefree2dream44](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livefree2dream44/) > [“We're all alive, but we don't know why or what for; we're all searching for happiness; we're all leading lives that are different and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/we-re-all-alive-but-we-don-t-know-why-or-what-for-we-re-all-searching-2/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [Don't keep searching for happiness, stop and create one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-keep-searching-for-happiness-stop-and-create-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“dont go searching for happiness in a man, find happiness first, then involve a man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odeyale-opeyemi/dont-go-searching-for-happiness-in-a-man-find-happiness-first-then/) [odeyale opeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odeyale-opeyemi/) > [We’re all alive, but we don’t know why or what for; we’re all searching for happiness; we’re all leading lives which are different and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/we-re-all-alive-but-we-don-t-know-why-or-what-for-we-re-all-searching/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-spend-a-lifetime-searching-for-happiness-looking-for-peace/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stop searching for Happiness, you may not find it. Just try to be happy, you can always do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/stop-searching-for-happiness-you-may-not-find-it-just-try-to-be-happy/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [All I can guarantee you is that as long as you are searching for happiness, you will remain unhappy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u-g-krishnamurti/all-i-can-guarantee-you-is-that-as-long-as-you-are-searching-for/) [U.G. Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/u-g-krishnamurti/) > [“I have found that the gunman, the thief, the prostitute, the confidence man and all the odd human flotsam spewed up from a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-williams/i-have-found-that-the-gunman-the-thief-the-prostitute-the-confidence/) [R. Scott Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-williams/) > [Stop searching for happiness all over the world, your happiness dwells within you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ore-abayomi/stop-searching-for-happiness-all-over-the-world-your-happiness-dwells/) [Ore Abayomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ore-abayomi/) > [Most people are searching for happiness. They're looking for it. They're trying to find it in someone or something outside of themselves. That's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/most-people-are-searching-for-happiness-they-re-looking-for-it-they/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [“Life's most valuable lessons are learned in absolute silence. It is when we are deep in that silence that we have the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/life-s-most-valuable-lessons-are-learned-in-absolute-silence-it-is/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) > [Hey! Are you there?. What? I asked are you there! Owhh C'mon..Like a fool I'm asking and searching where's Happiness!. We can't see happiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soniya-ahmed/hey-are-you-there-what-i-asked-are-you-there-owhh-c-mon-like-a-fool-i/) [Soniya Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soniya-ahmed/) ## More by Pema Chodron > [“LIFE’S work is to wake up, to let the things that enter into your life wake you up rather than put you to sleep.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/life-s-work-is-to-wake-up-to-let-the-things-that-enter-into-your-life/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/since-death-is-certain-and-the-time-of-death-is-uncertain-what-is-the/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The essence of generosity is letting go. 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Sometimes it is sweet, and sometimes it is bitter. Sometimes your body tenses, and sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-life-is-that-it-s-challenging-sometimes-it-is-sweet/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-we-run-a-hundred-miles-an-hour-to-the-other-end-of-the-continent/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“But in this meditation technique, we are with the out-breath; there's no particular instruction about what to do until the next out-breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/but-in-this-meditation-technique-we-are-with-the-out-breath-there-s/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. Nothing ever really attacks us except our own confusion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/nothing-ever-goes-away-until-it-has-taught-us-what-we-need-to-know/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [So even if the hot loneliness is there, and for 1.6 seconds we sit with that restlessness when yesterday we couldn't sit for even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/so-even-if-the-hot-loneliness-is-there-and-for-1-6-seconds-we-sit/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If you have rage and righteously act it out and blame it all on others, it's really you who suffers. The other people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-you-have-rage-and-righteously-act-it-out-and-blame-it-all-on/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“When we realize that the path is the goal, there’s a sense of workability. Trungpa Rinpoche said, “Whatever occurs in the confused mind is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/when-we-realize-that-the-path-is-the-goal-there-s-a-sense-of/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Every day is a new opportunity to work with what you have inside toward enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/every-day-is-a-new-opportunity-to-work-with-what-you-have-inside/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If someone comes along and shoots an arrow into your heart, it’s fruitless to stand there and yell at the person. It would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-someone-comes-along-and-shoots-an-arrow-into-your-heart-it-s/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Explore all 664 Pema Chodron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## More Finding quotes > [Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/most-people-do-surprisingly-poorly-when-dealing-with-a-relative-who/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [I'm finding out that I'm not squeamish whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gehlfuss/i-m-finding-out-that-i-m-not-squeamish-whatsoever/) [Nick Gehlfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gehlfuss/) > [Seeking means: to have a goal; but finding means: to be free, to be receptive, to have no goal. 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