What Is Happiness? [Archive]

WiredIncorrectly

20-07-20, 20:39

Thank you to Pulisa for suggesting this thread.

This is a serious but difficult question. What is happiness?

What does it mean to be happy?
Are you in a constant state of happiness and contentment?
Should we be in a constant state of happiness and contentment?

I certainly can't answer this question. It would be easy for me to say "this makes me happy" and "that makes me happy". But, without anything around and you sitting there alone staring out the window into the sunny sky ... are you happy?

Let's discuss.

pulisa

20-07-20, 21:04

I suppose for me being happy would mean being free from worry and therefore feeling liberated. I remember feeling euphoric after the birth of my daughter but I was being given dopamine in intensive care after a traumatic delivery (don't know why).

I know it's a very controversial subject. Do we need to be happy in order to function well or even at all? I'd say that it's not essential and people can live their entire lives without ever feeling truly content. I prefer the word "content" to "happy"-it's easier to relate to for me.

Midnight-mouse

20-07-20, 22:43

Thank you so much for posting this, it’s so interesting and it actually caused me to take half an hour and really think.

This has made me realise that, yes, I would actually say that I spend my life in a state of happiness/contentment. Which is a very interesting, it’s made me realise that as slowly and silently as my illness progressed, it’s also been the same in my recovery.

For me I don’t think happiness is the absolute absence of negative feelings, or worries. I don’t think that’s really possible. Instead feeling content despite the negative. I still have troubles, and worries, even panic attacks but I am happy regardless of them. I have no idea whatsoever when this happened, but I’m really thankful for the realisation that it has.

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Fishmanpa

21-07-20, 00:35

I've come to realize happiness is more about moments and/or periods of time in your life as opposed to a sustained mindset/experience. The time we live in is a perfect example of what I'm saying. Its the little moments of peace and joy in the midst of the chaos that we need to be thankful for, cherish and strive for.

Positive thoughts

AntsyVee

21-07-20, 04:03

I think happiness is more relative than a constant state, as well. We have to have some misery and miscomfort in our lives to experience it. I also think it goes along with Maslow's hierarchy of needs. People who aren't getting their basic needs met are going to experience happiness just by getting those needs met. A homeless person who gets a voucher for a night in a hotel is going to experience a lot of happiness that the rest of us who have normal housing would not upon spending that night in that hotel. We might even experience it as an inconvenience having to spend a night away from home. I think as we move up the pyramid, it takes different types of experiences for us to experience happiness.

https://www.simplypsychology.org/Maslows-Hierarchy-of-Needs.jpg

MyNameIsTerry

21-07-20, 04:43

A cigar called Hamlet? https://yoursmiles.org/tsmile/smoke/t3019.gif

Scass

21-07-20, 07:21

There was a phone in on Sara Cox’s radio 2 show yesterday to describe the happiest 30 minutes you can remember. I’m honestly still racking my brains. I’ve felt moments of pure joy watching my daughter do things, or spending time with my sister, or getting a long awaited new book maybe. I wouldn’t say I’m happy, but I also wouldn’t say I’m unhappy. I’m just worried a lot.

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pulisa

21-07-20, 08:24

I feel the same as you, Scass. I'm satisfied with very little materialistically and lead a pretty frugal life relatively speaking. I don't really move up that pyramid much because I live with a lot of responsibility.

I think small things can bring happiness and it doesn't matter how long these experiences last. It's just important to have them.

MRS STRESS ED

21-07-20, 10:35

Happiness for me would be waking up with no anxiety or worries just being able to have a day where l feel free.

Also spending time with my family and my beautiful doggies xx

let's hope we can all find some happiness xx

best wishes

Scass

21-07-20, 11:55

Oddly enough I just pulled this card out of my mood cards set.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200721/bc29a99edc9bf3e86ebbba9a1309319a.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200721/7690752dfa7fc08df1aeadafb0bd6ea5.jpg

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pulisa

21-07-20, 13:31

Do these mood cards help you, Scass?

Scass

21-07-20, 14:31

Do these mood cards help you, Scass?

Sometimes if I remember to use one! They are very good and I would recommend them.

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Fishmanpa

22-07-20, 11:41

"People tend to think of happiness as a stroke of luck, something that will descend like fine weather if you're fortunate. But happiness is the result of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly."

- Elizabeth Gilbert (B - 1969)
American author

Positive thoughts

Scass

22-07-20, 12:22

That’s very good FMP

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WiredIncorrectly

23-07-20, 21:03

"People tend to think of happiness as a stroke of luck, something that will descend like fine weather if you're fortunate. But happiness is the result of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly."

- Elizabeth Gilbert (B - 1969)
American author

Positive thoughts

I like that too.

Noivous

31-07-20, 14:03

I suppose for me being happy would mean being free from worry and therefore feeling liberated. I remember feeling euphoric after the birth of my daughter but I was being given dopamine in intensive care after a traumatic delivery (don't know why).

I know it's a very controversial subject. Do we need to be happy in order to function well or even at all? I'd say that it's not essential and people can live their entire lives without ever feeling truly content. I prefer the word "content" to "happy"-it's easier to relate to for me.

Yes, that's the right word Pulisa. It's impossible to stay in a constant state of happiness. But I think being truly content is being happy. Happiness is also a state of mind. One's attitude on life. I know those who have seemingly been dealt a pretty lousy hand but still have a great outlook on life.

N.

WiredIncorrectly

01-08-20, 16:32

Yes, that's the right word Pulisa. It's impossible to stay in a constant state of happiness. But I think being truly content is being happy. Happiness is also a state of mind. One's attitude on life. I know those who have seemingly been dealt a pretty lousy hand but still have a great outlook on life.

N.

That's true. There's many homeless folk who are very content with their life and have chose to live that way travelling the country. The Jack Reachers of the world (nope, never watched the films the books are much better). Then there's those who are never happy and want more.

I don't think money really comes into happiness. You can have a lot and still be very lonely and depressed (Notch for example, the creator of Minecraft).

RainbowGirl

02-08-20, 14:57

Happiness for me would be waking up with no anxiety or worries just being able to have a day where l feel free.

Also spending time with my family and my beautiful doggies xx

let's hope we can all find some happiness xx

best wishes

I was going to respond with the same answer nearly to the word LOL :bighug:

That's my state of happiness too.