Happiness and what it means to you

[therationaledge]

What is your definition of happiness?
What do you think makes you happy?
What do you do to try to reach it?

I personally like the definition of happiness being a state of being, rather than pleasure, which is an outside stimuli making you feel good.

Accourding to that every college age person I know is just going on pleasure. lol

I also think think happiness is freedom for myself, i dont care much about money though i know its needed, and so isnt a job, but i value free time to learn and apply what I learn.

One of my best recent memories was walking around with survival gear like a hobo with my friend all day, and then laying down in this grass triangle (its was sunny and windy that day) surrounded by traffic and just relishing not giving a fuck about anything. Not that people thought we looked wierd, not that i needed to go to work the next day. Just relishing the freedom.

Its wierd how addicted to things like netflix and video games I am, just to be depressed when i use them too much, and how happy i am when these things are taken from me.

Hence I have mostly given them up, to pursue walking around town and playing acoustic guitar in public, and andventuring.

 

[enfp1091]

I think happiness for me is the realization of my dreams, to see them happen. I also think is to enjoy the moment.

 

[antireconciler]

Hence I have mostly given them up, to pursue walking around town and playing acoustic guitar in public, and andventuring.

That is really cool!

Yeah, I don't have a definition. I kind of think of it in terms of reflection though. Happiness means reflecting the structure of the world coherently. I feel passionate about the connection between happiness and reason, and its beautiful structuring unfolding, and to feel like I am a part of it, unfolding in its necessary structure, makes me feel like I am a part of the fabric of the world, and that is very very satisfying!! Happiness means not wearing a plaid shirt if the world is dressed in plaid, but if the universe IS plaid, then BEING plaid too, and seeing that it is you are nothing except it, that is happiness. It means a kind of power which is phenomenal. It means being home and safe, in a way that extends out into everything.

Hooray for happiness! *high fives you*

 

[Sacrator]

I been thinking about this for about 5 months now quite a bit and have learned some things about happiness.
I think in order to find happiness its good to not over think things and switch your bad outlooks on things to positive outlooks. Its good to meditate when things start to get bad and just breath from the heart. A happy person is a person with little worries and realizes life is short and to live it up and enjoy it. Its too short to be upset about the small things concerning you and to not take life seriously and live adventurously. Be flexible like water and don't let life ever get you down. If your afraid to do something or hesitant but wish you could.... DO IT, dive in! Don't let anything hold you back from living your life to the fullest always give life your best and never settle for average.

 

[Salt n' pepper]

What is your definition of happiness?
Peace of mind, is ultimately my definition of happiness. I agree that happiness is a state of being. Furthermore, I think happiness to me is about finding balance in my life and maintaining it.

What do you think makes you happy?
I'm the most happy when I'm independent. I need to have a strong sense of self, be able to make my own decisions and be responsible for myself and my own actions. A high pace and various lifestyle and a sense of always being on the Go, gives me peace of mind. Freedom, in a sense makes me very happy. To me freedom is all about the simple life, I'm not at all materialistic. Community, "love" and understanding, also makes me happy.

What do you do to try to reach it?
The only way I can reach happiness is to try to stay true to myself and do it my way. I try to understand what's important to me in my life - then it's all systems go.

 

[Gloriana]

What is your definition of happiness?
I suppose happiness to me is a level of contentment where I don't feel weighed down by troubles. Happiness for me has been when I've got enough positive things going on in my life that it's easier to take the inevitable negative things that pop up.

Having said that, I think 'happiness' (for me anyway) is very much an 'ebb and flow' sort of thing which I accept. There are periods of contentment, then there are periods of strife, I just accept this is how it goes. I don't shoot for the 'perpetual state of unending happiness' because I don't think it exists, I just try and do what I need to do for myself to enjoy the life I have as much as possible while I've got it. It doesn't make me sad though, not at all.

What do you think makes you happy?
I'm happiest when I manage to achieve the things that rise to the standards I have for myself. When I'm content with myself and what I've achieved, whether it be some constructive project or rewarding interactions with others. I'm happiest when I write and manage to give life to the ideas/characters/worlds in my imagination. I'm happiest when I have solid, supportive, and positive relationships in my life.


What do you do to try to reach it?
My approach is to basically listen to the compass of direction I've got deep inside my head. To go after things I want, and go forward into new challenges even when I'm scared, in the interest of growing, changing, and learning. To be true to myself as much as possible without quantifying my needs and wants by the opinions of others, to validate my own path in life and follow it even if it might be a road less traveled.

 

[Katsuni]

I was reading something some years ago, a written speech given once, forget who by, but it listed a great number of incredably good advice for students just leaving high school. Not the typical stuff, but moreso the REALLY good stuff yeu SHOULD know. Like "learn a low impact sport like tennis, people who play football can't really do so after they're 30, it's hard to find 20+ people to go out and play... people who play tennis, are still playing tennis when they're 50 often".

Stuff like that XD Really good useful stuff ^^

But he touched upon this very topic, in a way I have to say is a great way to look at things.

Here's the basic gist from memory...


Don't search for happiness, search for joy. If yeu have nice things, nice car, nice house, lots of money, these things generally will make yeu happy. But happiness is fleeting, and shallow, it doesn't have any real depth, and can be easily taken away. Joy, on the other hand, often comes from doing things that would not neccesarily make yeu happy... volunteer work, helping people yeu care about, love, etc. These things have much deeper meaning and can endure where happiness falters.


That was the basic concept though I'm pretty sure he said it better, since I'm attempting to paraphraze something I barely remember more than the concept anymore XD

But yeah, the idea is there. Happiness well... whot makes yeu happy? Ice cream makes me happy. Giddy even. I had a 7 scoop ice cream cone once and the mere thought of that ridiculousness made me quite happy for nearly a week XD

But... it is temporary. A nice car is NICE but... it doesn't really instill within yeu lasting peace, yeu can't be content with yeurself as a person just because yeu have a nice car, even if it really is quite nice. A bigger house is great, but a home is a home regardless of the form it takes. Some may be more comfortable, but once yeu have the basic neccesities (the roof doesn't leak >=O ) then yeu're pretty much going to like the home regardless, as home is where the heart is.

As such, though I enjoy being HAPPY, I moreso prefer being CONTENT. I'd rather just be comfortable and generally enjoy myself as a whole. Stress will occur no matter whot, it happens, but to not have to worry about basics like food, water, shelter, taxes, etc... this would be all I truly need long term. Entertainment, and someone to care for, and who cares for me, there we go. I'm now content, and need nothing else in my life other than a challange, and as long as that challange doesn't specifically challange any of the things I just listed, I'm all set.

Happiness is winning a game. Joy is playing the game with a dear friend and spending time togeather while doing it.

I have limited use for happiness, it's NICE, and yeu'd be stupid to turn it down, but it's not the most important thing to seek out in life either.

 

[Fluffywolf]

Happiness is an ever lasting strive for betterment and goodness. A continues line upwards. Happiness at arms-length is the happiest happiness in the world. You still need to reach out, but you're not too far away to take it.