This morning at the gym, a random thought crossed my mind—“Am I happy?”
It wasn’t just a passing thought. It stuck. So I took a moment to really think about it. What does happiness even mean to me? Is it about the things I have now or the things I hope to have in the future?
And after reflecting, I can say for a fact—I’m happy. Not because I have everything I want, but because I have peace of mind.
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”
– Marcus Aurelius
If I compare where I am now to who I was two years ago, the difference is huge. My mental health is at its best, and I genuinely feel at peace with myself. But as I thought deeper, one thing stood out—something I don’t have yet but know will bring me happiness.
I want to be a father.
Not just a father, but a present father. The kind that’s there for everything.
There was a time I attended a community meetup, and the topic was, “What would you do if money wasn’t a problem?”
People had all sorts of answers—some wanted to travel the world, others wanted to do charity work, and some dreamed of getting the best cars.
When my turn came, I said, “I’d want to be a father.”
From the back of the room, someone casually responded, “You don’t need money to be a father.”
I smiled, but in my mind, I knew they misunderstood me.
Because for me, being a father isn’t just about having kids—it’s about being there.
I don’t want to be the kind of dad who only gets to see his kids for a few minutes before bedtime. I want to have the freedom to wake up and take them to school in the morning, pick them up in the evening, show up for all their events without having to ask for permission from work.
That, to me, is true fatherhood. That, to me, is happiness.
The thing about happiness is, it’s personal.
For some, it’s financial success. For others, it’s freedom. For some, it’s traveling and seeing the world. And for others, it’s just waking up every day with a peaceful mind.
But the real question is—what does happiness look like for you?
Learning never stops.
Take a moment to reflect and act on what resonates with you.
Keep evolving.
– MJ Nyota
