Striving for Happiness: My Journey through Elementary School

How to attain perfect happiness? I was asked the same question when I was in 7th grade and this is also my answer. My elementary days essay is an attempt to give answer to this question. 

I believe that being happy is all about being contented in what others can give you, what you can give others, what you have, and what you can do. My parents used to have high expectations for me because some of my teachers told them that I out stand my other classmates when I was in preschool. 

When I started my elementary days, I used to push and give all my best just to make my parents proud of me, I am always one of the achievers, and they acknowledge me for all the hard work. But I feel that I need to be something more, I need to exceed their expectations. Also, growing up, I used to have a big circle of friends. We're like around 7 members in each circle. I am happy at the start but as times passed by, I started getting envious of them by having the things that I don't. I began to feel a lot of insecurities, physically, and financially. They're rich, I'm poor. They're smart and obedient, I'm just low key average. Furthermore, they're all good-looking, while I'm not. I feel left-out even though they are not making me feel that I don't belong in the circle, and they wanted to make me understand that our friendship isn't based on our life statuses. They wanted to make me feel that we don't need to be wealthy to fit in the society, they also said that when it comes to our God and in heaven, everyone is all in the same boat, the borderline between the rich and poor isn't perceptible. 

I continued living my life that way for almost a year, and all of a sudden, when I reached high school, I realized, why would I need to compare myself to them if this is me? This is what God has given me, I should be proud of it, there is nothing to be ashamed of. As long as I'm not stepping into someone else's reputation and dignity? There's nothing wrong with who and what I am. 

To summarize, from that day forward, I promised myself that I will be forever grateful with what I have, because being contented with your own life is the most successful way to have a happy life. And I strongly believe that it is the best way to attain perfect happiness, based on my own real-life experiences.