We’ve all heard the old saying from the 1960s:
“If it feels good, do it.”
Unfortunately, our culture often teaches the exact opposite.
Work a job you hate because it’s practical.
Stay in a relationship that’s gone stale because it’s your duty.
Ignore your dreams because they’re unrealistic.
Somewhere along the way, many of us begin wearing our unhappiness like a badge of honor, as though misery proves we’re responsible adults.
But what if we’ve misunderstood happiness?
What if it isn’t a luxury?
What if it’s a compass?
Happiness Isn’t Random
One of the central ideas in my book, Tarot and the Art of Alignment, is that happiness isn’t merely an emotion that comes and goes.
It’s directional.
It points.
When we’re moving toward the life we’re meant to live, something inside us quietly says:
“Yes…this is the way.”
Likewise, when we drift away from our authentic nature, life begins to feel heavy, flat, and strangely empty.
Our emotions aren’t simply fluctuations. They’re messages that point us in the right direction.
The Simplest Question
Perhaps the most radical question we can ask ourselves isn’t:
“How much money am I making?”
Or…
“What will other people think?”
It’s simply this:
Am I happy here?
If the honest answer is no, don’t treat it as a failure. Treat it as information.
Your inner compass is trying to get your attention.
Isn’t That Just Hedonism?
Whenever people talk about following happiness, someone inevitably objects:
“That sounds selfish.”
Or…
“Life isn’t supposed to be fun all the time.”
I agree. This isn’t about chasing pleasure.
There’s a profound difference between pleasure and fulfillment.
Pleasure asks:
“What feels good right now?”
Fulfillment asks:
“What kind of joy helps me become more fully myself?”
Real happiness isn’t the endless pursuit of dopamine. It’s the quiet satisfaction that comes from living in harmony with your deepest nature.
Happiness Is a Side Effect of Truth
One of the biggest misconceptions in our culture is that happiness comes from accumulating enough “stuff.”
More money.
A bigger house.
A nicer car.
More followers.
Those things may be enjoyable. But they’re not necessarily meaningful.
Real happiness comes from something much deeper.
It appears when we’re living with integrity.
When our actions reflect who we really are.
When we’re doing the work we came here to do—even if that work is difficult.
Happiness isn’t the goal.
It’s the glow that appears when we’re moving in the right direction.
Entering the Flow
Psychologists call it flow.
The Taoists simply speak of being in harmony with the Tao.
Athletes call it being in the zone.
Whatever name we give it, most of us have experienced those rare moments when intention and action become one. When life seems to go perfectly.
Time disappears.
Energy rises.
Life feels strangely enchanted.
Synchronicities seem to increase.
Everything flows naturally.
To me, this is the Happiness Compass operating at full strength. The needle of the compass isn’t spinning in circles anymore – it’s pointing solidly in one direction.
Why We Lose Our Way
The tragedy is that most of us weren’t taught to trust this inner guidance.
We were taught to obey.
To fit in. To be practical. To put duty ahead of authenticity.
Eventually the compass is still there…
But it’s buried beneath expectations, obligations, financial worries, and the opinions of other people.
Eventually, we may not even remember what genuine happiness feels like, because we’ve forgotten who we truly are.
How the Tarot Can Help
This is one of the reasons I love working with the Tarot.
The cards don’t tell us who we’re supposed to become. They remind us who we already are. They gently reveal where we’ve ignored our intuition, overridden our happiness, or wandered away from our authentic path.
The cards are about helping us realign with ourselves and answer that basic question: Am I happy? If the answer is no, they tell us why.
Perhaps happiness isn’t something we have to chase. Perhaps it’s simply something that we need to remember.
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Adapted from Chapter Six of my new book, Tarot and the Art of Alignment: Using the Cards to Remember Who You Are, which explores how the Tarot can become a practical compass for discovering your authentic path and living with greater joy, purpose, and synchronicity.
Just the Tarot 