Five Movies that Reveal the Secret To Lasting Happiness
There’s an African Proverb that says being happy is better than being a king. This implies that happiness has nothing to do with status, material things, or our circumstances. Of course, things like a new job, a new house or something as simple as the perfect cup of java can give you that ecstatic feeling, but alas, that feeling is only temporary.
Although cliché, the saying happiness is an inside job is true. Happiness comes from within. The secret to lasting happiness is to anchor ourselves in quality thoughts. Intangible though it may be, it’s what you have control over. Your mind.
Focusing on the quality of your thoughts places the power in your hands. Below are five movies that show how happiness can’t be sustained by what’s on the outside, but that it is indeed a state of mind.
Last Holiday: This movie stars Queen Latifah as Georgia Byrd who receives a death sentence from her doctors. The news is so unexpected that her natural instinct would’ve been to cower. Instead, she changes her perspective on the situation and decides to live out her fantasies. Even in adversity, she is happy.
Beyond the Lights: From the outside looking in, Noni, a singer played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, has everything. Fame, success, money, you name it. Yet she is unhappy and unable to cope with life. So much so that she tries to take her own. She is then shown the simpler things of life, leading to the happiness she desires.
The Pursuit of Happiness: This movie, starring Will Smith as Chris Gardner, embodies what it is to actively pursue happiness despite the odds. He wants a better life for his son and despite the challenges before him, he refuses to give into despair.
Eat Pray Love: This movie stars Julia Roberts as Liz Gilbert, who thinks she has everything she’s ever wanted in life, until those things are taken away, leaving her confused. She then embarks on a journey of self-discovery to figure out what matters. Spoiler: it’s not her status or accolades.
Up: In this animation, you get to see two friends who fall in love, marry, and eventually are separated by death. Through a little boy, the widower finds purpose and decides to live out the dream he and his late wife never achieved.
Unoma Nwankwor is a faith-based romance novelist with a passion for reading, writing, and changing the African narrative through entertainment. She does this while enjoying plantains, pepperoni slices, and a cup of java.
