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Finding Authentic Happiness: A Fresh Perspective
Happiness isn’t always simple—even if everything seems okay on the surface. Elijah De La Cruz’s upcoming book, How to Be Happy, offers a refreshing, honest conversation for those quietly wondering why fulfillment feels elusive. It’s less about quick tips and more about authentic dialogue, sharing deep truths we often sense but rarely articulate.
Rediscovering Community and Connection
One key insight Elijah offers is how vital community is to happiness. Highlighting concepts like the Roseto Effect, he points out that happiness often flourishes in close-knit communities where relationships matter deeply. This book gently reminds readers of something easily forgotten: meaningful connections—family, friendships, and community—are essential, grounding us in a way individual pursuits alone cannot.
Elijah doesn’t shy away from reality. Relationships can be complicated and demanding. But that’s precisely why they’re so impactful. He encourages readers to lean into vulnerability and openness, embracing the imperfections that make relationships rich and fulfilling.
Purpose Beyond the Paycheck
Another powerful idea in Elijah’s book revolves around purpose and passion. Often, we chase the dream of doing what we love, hoping financial success naturally follows. Elijah openly acknowledges the complexity here—how passion and purpose don’t always align neatly with financial stability.
This book helps readers understand that finding genuine happiness often means making brave, purposeful choices—even if they’re uncertain or messy. Elijah reassures readers that purpose can exist beyond paychecks, enriching life in subtle yet profound ways.
Letting Go of the Need for Perfection
Elijah dedicates significant attention to our relentless pursuit of perfection, illustrating how it paradoxically undermines true happiness. Society’s obsession with flawless outcomes can generate anxiety and stress, pushing us further from genuine contentment.
In contrast, Elijah gently encourages embracing vulnerability and authenticity. He invites readers to accept themselves as they are—flaws included—and highlights how liberating it feels when we stop chasing impossible standards. This acceptance, he suggests, is key to experiencing deeper, more lasting happiness.
Waking Up from Autopilot Living
Perhaps one of the book’s most resonant themes is reclaiming awareness. Elijah reflects on how modern life’s pace pushes us into autopilot mode—where days blend without conscious engagement. He urges readers to slow down, reconnect with their surroundings, and reawaken their natural sense of wonder.
His reflections feel like a reassuring conversation, grounded in real-world experiences. Elijah speaks openly about his struggles and insights, making the reader feel understood rather than advised. This authentic connection is what makes his guidance especially valuable—it’s relatable, empathetic, and deeply human.
Conversations That Matter
Ultimately, How to Be Happy isn’t typical self-help. There’s no step-by-step instruction manual. Instead, Elijah shares thoughtful reflections intended to spark meaningful personal inquiries. He openly admits he wrote the book quickly because these thoughts had been developing for years. The result? A concise yet profound exploration of happiness that readers can revisit whenever they need grounding or clarity.
If you’ve felt inexplicably incomplete despite doing everything “right,” this book provides a reassuring voice. Elijah De La Cruz’s perspective reminds us happiness isn’t a final destination—it’s an ongoing journey defined by authentic living and mindful awareness.
We had the privilege of interviewing the author. Here are excerpts from the interview:
Thank you so much for joining us today! Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do.
Yeah, sure! Hi, I’m Elijah De La Cruz. I’m a teacher now — used to work in management consulting, which feels like a whole other life at this point. That work taught me a lot, especially about structure and people and how we function under pressure… but honestly? Most of what I write comes from stuff I’ve lived. Things I’ve felt too much, or wrestled with in quiet moments when no one was watching.
Umm, I’m 31. I think I’m… happy? Haha. No, I am. Not in the curated Instagram kind of way — more like, actually being content in the day to day, naturally, I’m still figuring things out, but it feels steady. Real. Of course, I still get stuck sometimes. Who doesn’t? I think that’s just… being human. But yeah — I’m here, I’m moving, and writing this book was part of that movement.
Please tell us about your book.
Right — so, the book’s called How to Be Happy… and I guess the first thing I always want to clarify is: it’s not a guidebook. Like, it’s not “here are five steps to change your life.” I wouldn’t trust me with that anyway, haha.
It’s more like a conversation. You know those late-night talks you have with someone who just gets it? It’s that — in book form. It’s a bunch of reflections, reminders, half-answers, and questions. Things I’ve thought about over years of trying to understand happiness — not in some big abstract way, but like, in the real day-to-day mess of it.
I wrote it really quickly — like, two weeks — but only because I’d been carrying the ideas around for years. It just sort of poured out. It’s short, yeah, but I hope it’s the kind of book people come back to. Not because I’ve got everything figured out — I don’t — but because sometimes, just asking the right question at the right time is enough.
Please tell us about your journey.
Ah, okay. So, I’ve always wanted to write. Like, forever. But for a long time I didn’t think I could — not because the ideas weren’t there, but because I just… didn’t think I was allowed? I’d keep thinking, “Who am I to write a book about happiness?” I’m not a therapist or a monk or some kind of expert. I’m just a person who’s tried, failed, tried again — like everyone else.
Eventually, though, that stuck feeling — that quiet restlessness — got too loud. Life felt like it was moving and I wasn’t. So one night I just opened a doc and started writing. I didn’t plan it. I just… began. And once I did, I didn’t stop. I wrote before work, after work, sometimes when I should’ve been working, haha. I think I was scared that if I paused, I’d lose it.
Writing that first draft was messy and kind of electric. Frustrating, too. I definitely hit walls. But there was this strange relief in doing the thing I’d wanted to do for so long. And I kept reading it back, editing, tweaking — and slowly, I started to believe in it. Not because it was perfect. But because it felt honest.
What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
Honestly? I wouldn’t call it a “strategy,” but — I stopped waiting for the perfect time. That’s probably the biggest shift. There’s never a perfect moment to start something like this. You just… start.
I didn’t worry about publishers or marketing or any of that in the beginning. I wasn’t trying to build a brand. I just needed to get this thing out of my head. My only goal was: write it, even if it sucks. Edit it later. That mindset saved me from spiraling.
Also, I’m a big daydreamer. I’ll space out for half an hour thinking about things that could be, ideas, opportunities, the past, the present, the future. Weirdly, that’s where a lot of the book came from. Just… drifting and reflecting.
And the truth is, not writing felt worse than failing. That’s what kept me going. Even if no one read it, at least I’d know I did it.
Any message for our readers?
Yeah. I guess just… I hope this book helps you feel seen. I didn’t write it to give advice — I wrote it because I needed to hear some of this stuff myself, and I figured maybe someone else did too.
A lot of us aren’t missing anything — we’re just too close to our own lives to see clearly. We forget. We rush. We compare. And I think sometimes we need a quiet reminder that happiness isn’t some big goal. It’s often already here — just buried under everything else.
This book won’t fix you. But maybe it’ll make you pause. Breathe. Look at your life a little differently. And if it does that? That’s more than enough.
Thank you so much, Elijah, for giving us your precious time! We wish you all the best for your journey ahead![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
