What is happiness? Many people believe that the most important reason to live is to be happy. However, happiness differs among everybody, as different things make different people happy. So my question to you is what makes you happy? How can happiness be achieved? Are you happy?(please be as thorough in your explanation as you'd like).
it is a proccess and the by product of a proccess. for lack of a better generic term this proccess can be called gratification. although that really doesn't very well explain anything. each of us, is born with certain inhierent aptitude inclinations, and i don't mean inhierent in a genetic sense but rather the unique inclinations of our indiviual awairnessess/souls. when we are engauged in what it is that is in us to do and be, there is a certain gratification that can only come as a resault of that. this is all the "secret" there is, to real and true happiness. it can't be given to us in the form of entertainment, yet it is not a matter of earning it in the sense that any effort that bennifits others somehow always and automaticly produces it. it comes only when what we are doing is specific to each of our unique and individual natures. neither excitement nor accumulation nor the accolades of others, can be expected nor counted upon to provide it. =^^= .../\...
Happiness is being yourself, accepting yourself, and embracing yourself, in my personal opinion. Things cant make me happy... people can't make me happy... only I have the power to be happy, and I have to be happy with myself to achieve that. Once I have achieved an inner peace with myself, and learn to love who I am, everything else seems much sweeter, and it is easier for me to love others and be loved back, thus creating a snowball effect of happiness And yes, I'm happy ^_^
Happiness shouldnt be seeked from external object since everything is subject to change. Everything is in your head, so if you want to be happy make yourself happy, if you cant you really dont want to.
Should happiness/contentment be sought at all? Seems like there are other more worthwhile endeavors to pursue during our limited time here. Happiness just seems to pass the time, while suffering (in my experience) molds and refines. Other than giving us time to relax and reflect on our suffering and the lessons learned from it, what does happiness do for us? when you look back on your lives thus far, which experiences seemed more real? which ones taught you more-made you stronger? please don't confuse my comments about happiness with having anything to do with the concept of love, however. I have never seen or experienced anything more powerful than true, indiscriminate love-but sometimes, if you love someone, you have to allow them to suffer on their own so that they may learn. These are all words, and I fail to act on them constantly, but i don't believe i have ever had any permanent good come about from being happy. we do all eventually die, so why focus on transient fulfillment?
Just to be content, to not be bothered, to be at peace, to not be wanting is what I define happiness as. We are never as happy as we want to be and therefore we are unhappy. This applies to me and beleive it applies to most if not all people.
i don't think i could disagree with any of that if i tried. do you believe this makes happiness more of a worthwhile pursuit or less?
I totally disagree. I don't think pain and suffering teach us anything more than being happy. The idea that it does is probably a hangover from christianity. As to the transitory nature of human life - why should an unpleasant transit be superior to a happy and pleasant one? It is natural to be happy - much of the suffering in life comes from the fact that we live artificial lives and impose artificial conditions on being happy. And our culture tells us that unless we feel bad/guilty we are no good. Misery and suffering condition people to a negative view of life, and even lead to the idea that there is no happiness in life, and only after death will we be happy. This is a large part of the trouble with western religions - they don't really want happiness here on earth. Perhaps it all comes from some deep collective trauma. Our life here should be a joyous thing.
i don't really see suffering and misery as the same things. to me, suffering is the work we're here to do. work. i see misery as more of a bad attitude about the work we're here to do. maybe i should be a bit more careful with my language. i also think that the sort of happiness that comes about from the work itself is a different sort of happiness than the kind that we seek through the things outside of us, as themnax suggested. i see this happiness as a chance to rest and reflect on how the work itself brought this feeling to us. it still seems that what is important is the work itself, and that happiness is not the most worthwhile pursuit in this fleeting life. i don't see this as depressing whatsoever. i love life.
as far as your comment on this place being a transit-if it is, then it is also probably preparing us for this next place through the various things we go through and learn from here.
"Happiness is as light as a feather but no one knows how to hold it." Zhuangzi Happiness comes to you, but it is hope that brings it.Have hope and in turn you will also have happiness.
