As I sit back and reflect on the journey so far, I've come to realize the vast array of ideologies, concepts, experiences, and life lessons that I have explored, have had a significant impact on my train of thought and my perception of the world.

I have learned about various religious concepts at a high level, which have stimulated an intrigue in my mind that I always felt fairly distant from or never really new existed. Taoism, Lao Tzu and the Tao Te Ching, a deeper search into Buddhism and Hinduism, and a brief view of meditations, Marcus Aurelius, and Stoicism.

I have explored various philosophers that have provided deep insights into human drivers and systems in the search for meaning, such as Epictetus, Aristotle, Seneca, Emerson, Montaigne, and Carl Jung, just to name a few. However, each philosopher I have read about has opened a pathway to another, and there is a common trend between many. My list of profound thinkers and influential members of various societies has grown extensively, helping compile a long list of educational opportunities to assist in my search for happiness.

I have discovered some psychologists I would never have usually come across, some

of which have outlined simple, yet deep and profound frameworks like Viktor Frankl and Logotherapy, as well as Martin Seligman and his three-part psychology framework of the pleasant, good, and meaningful life.

As I sit back and reflect on the range of these learnings that I have absorbed from various external avenues, I feel grateful for the opportunity to have had access to such an incredible and wide range of humans who have left a trail of profound knowledge that can contribute to humanity on a global scale. I have found deeper meaning and purpose within myself that may have just been lying dormant and have ignited a pursuit for a better understanding of what it means to be happy, as well as the wide and complex array of alternative avenues in the search for happiness.

Internal dialogue, growth, knowledge, and education are integral to this journey. Peace and meditation help in understanding who you really are, while maintaining presence and balance. Continuous pursuits of self-improvement in all areas of life are key, as well as seeking challenge and adversity to grow. Community and contribution play significant roles, along with belief, the concept of Yin and Yang, universal energy, as well as being a receiver and transmitter of positive vibes. Enjoyment and the exploration of different pathways continue to be part of the search for happiness.

Thanks,

Dean