Balanced Psychology And A Full Life

Happiness is an essential goal for most people. From books and expensive classes that teach people how to achieve happiness to the fundamental right of “the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence, the importance of happiness is evident in society. This causes the rise to two fundamental questions: “How does one attain happiness?” and “,How does happiness create a meaningful life?” Both happiness and living a meaningful life are achieved simultaneously. The search for happiness and the factors that make it brings meaning to life. Happiness can stem from several factors such as wisdom and knowledge, savoring life and its experiences, and even suffering and pain. Analyzing these factors brings meaning to one’s life.

What then is happiness? Perhaps happiness is a basic and familiar concept, yet it may occur to be perplexing when one has to convey it through the medium of words. Lyubomirsky defines the term as “the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile” (Lyubomirsky 32). It is often subjective, personal, and can stem from a myriad of activities: some may experience similar feelings by engaging in sports, spending time with family and friends, others while reading or simply being in solitude. Due to the personal nature and subjectivity of happiness, a handful of myths pertaining to this concept has emerged. Three happiness myths were presented within the chapter: 1. Happiness must be found. 2. Happiness lies in changing our circumstances. 3. You either have it or you don’t. The first myth greatly piqued my interest, since I, too, have once externalized happiness and assumed that it would be found outside.

According to many different opinions and point of views, happiness can either only be pursued or at a certain point can be achieved. It is first important to define what happiness truly is, while looking beyond something that embraces positivity and well-being. Happiness is less of direct and attainable goal but rather a state of mind, a way of life, and it is up to those living to determine what will allow them to experience this certain level of satisfaction. In fact, happiness can be comparable to leadership. Leaders are in constant search of new or better qualities in order to improve their role in their community showing that it is a quest with diverse opportunities. Those craving happiness will never feel completely and utterly satisfied

Happiness is a thought of utmost satisfaction one feels, even though all odds are against us. It is a choice that we make in our minds as to no matter what happens, negative or positive, our inner self will always be positive. Some people choose to see the negative side of things no matter what. But at the end of the day, happiness doesn’t exist outside our lives but within us. This is a constant choice that we make in the process of life. When we realize that happiness doesn’t depend on people or things but in choosing to be happy, it automatically becomes part of our character and life.

The authors of the article believe that there are three things that form happiness as a whole, “pleasure (or positive emotion); engagement; and meaning” (Seligman 540). In order to increase happiness, there needs to be a way to increase these three constituents in the lives of people. With this being said most people in the world cannot increase all three constituents, but a person can live a full life when “A person uses all three routes to happiness” (541). The main goal of people is to increase all three paths or constituents because through living a full life a person can have more satisfaction. This article gives many interesting facts about happiness and gives a very direct definition of what happiness is. This definition of what happiness is might match what some other people might think, but it cannot satisfy the definition that every one in the world

Many people keep searching for what they think can bring happiness, because they want to find the answer for the question: what is happiness? According to multiple sources, the definition of happiness varies depending on individual’s perspective. Happiness is a universal feeling, and there are many ways of obtaining happiness. People can obtain happiness through having peace of mind, being successful with work, achieving goals, and sharing what they have with others.

People tend to feel the most happiness in their daily lives rather than happiness over all. For instance, if someone opens the door for you, does something outrageous, tells a funny story or simply reacts kindly to you, you can experience happiness. Laughing at someones joke can cause you to feel happy even for just a moment. Another definition of happiness in our daily lives is self appreciation such as, getting that new raise, getting an A on a test or even getting into the college you want. These examples all cause happiness in different but still rather large ways. We seem to think that happiness is so difficult to come by, we focus so hard on what happiness is that we don't even realize the simple things in life that are truly making a difference. We can become significantly happy without even noticing. Although happiness seems like it’s hard to find it’s not all that difficult. What’s hard to come by is the feeling of genuine happiness ; genuine happiness is what people truly look for.

Happiness is a key to everybodys life. Even the most depressed man on earth has a little happiness deep down inside. Its what keeps us striving to fulfil our needs and wants on an everyday basis. There is not one kid who does not get excited over a dollar to spend at the candy shop. What about the feeling of getting a promotion at your job, or even finding the cure for cancer. Being happy is not just healthy, but it is also rewarding for each and every individual. We strive to find anything that will turn a bad day to a good one. Individuals will compromise to attain their happiness. You can not get what you want without giving something first.

Happiness is one of the most significant dimensions of human experience. Many people can argue that happiness is a meaningful and desirable entity. Studies indicate that everyone pursues happiness in various aspects of their life. Our four fathers saw happiness as a need, so they made the pursuit of happiness as one of the three unalienable rights branded in the Declaration of Independence. There is a sense of complexity behind the meaning of happiness; its definition is not definite. Think of happiness as a rope; there are many thin fiber strands bonded together to become the strength of the rope. Like the analogy of the rope, there are numerous factors that can contribute to an individual’s overall happiness in life. This study is going to

According the article “A Balanced Psychology and a Full Life” by Seligman there are three routes to happiness which are pleasure (or positive emotion), engagement and meaning. In this article Seligman states “Within limits, we can increase our positive emotion about the past (e.g. by cultivating gratitude and forgiveness), our positive emotion about the present (e.g. by savoring and mindfulness) and our positive emotion about the future (e.g. by building hope and optimism).”(Seligman 418) This helps further explain that if we forgive for the things that we did in the past that made us unhappy and try to help move past it, if you want to increase your positive emotion about the present just be mindful, then lastly the increase your positive

Happiness is a result that we deserved, furthermore, it becomes a motivation for us to keep trying and getting success in life.

Happiness is being surrounded by loved ones, having hobbies, and being challenged. Each one of

Ben-Shahar defines happiness as “the overall experience of pleasure and meaning” (33). It means that people obtain positive emotion from their action while they feel their life as purposeful. Simply, pleasure is the experience of positive emotion about the present benefit. Meaning which has the purpose about the future benefit comes from people’s action. But people have either pleasure or meaning is not enough for happiness. People consume ecstasy-inducing drugs or spend their free time lay down on the beach. They cannot get the happiness even though they experience positive emotions. Therefore, people’s action requires having both pleasure and meaning in order to reach the happiness

As human beings, we all have the capability of experiencing emotions and feelings. People can experience happiness,

The great questions about happiness are concerned with its definition and its attainability. In what does happiness consist? Is it the same for all men, or do different men seek different things in the name of happiness? Can happiness be achieved on earth, or only hereafter? And if the pursuit of happiness is not a futile quest, by what means or steps should it be undertaken?