For years, we’ve heard that strong relationships and caring communities foster happiness. The idea is appealing: surround yourself with kind-hearted people, engage in meaningful relationships, and joy will follow. But what if we’ve been looking at it all wrong?
Through my experiences in communities like the Maldives Professional Speakers Association (MPSA), the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Maldives chapter, and Villijoali, I’ve witnessed a striking truth: happiness is not the result of strong relationships, but the force that creates them.
Happy people naturally build thriving communities. They step into relationships with an abundance mindset, bringing joy, generosity, and gratitude with them. These emotions don’t emerge because of external circumstances; they exist within individuals who have already cultivated happiness. As a result, relationships flourish, and communities become spaces of collaboration and growth.
This understanding challenges how we approach happiness. Instead of seeking joy in external connections, we must first cultivate it within ourselves. When we do, kindness, generosity, and meaningful bonds follow; not as isolated events, but as a natural extension of our inner state.
So, rather than waiting for relationships to bring happiness, we should ask ourselves: Are we bringing happiness into our relationships and communities? If we focus on nurturing joy within, we can create environments that don’t just support happiness but amplify it.
This shift in perspective can transform the way we build connections, lead organizations, and shape communities. Instead of searching for happiness through external sources, we need to prioritize its cultivation within, because when happiness leads, everything else follows.
Smile and Let Smile 