The Path Of Happiness. . “Folks Are Usually About As Happy

Happiness is something that all people, no matter what race, gender, or social class, strive for. Based on lifestyle or perspective each person has their independent idea of what happiness is, but everyone shares an end goal to live their definition of a happy life. Many people, though, struggle in finding their way to this goal. They face hardships and challenges that test their happiness every day. Happiness, though somewhat indirectly, does take learning and training to discover and maintain.

According to Buddha, the key to happiness and fulfillment is to detach yourself from all worldly goods and desires.

Although there are a number of different nuances and qualifications for this particular term, happiness actually can be defined. In fact, it usually helps to best define happiness in terms of what it is and what it is not. Happiness is certainly a state of fluctuation there is no consistent, prolonged state of felicity. If so, it then becomes normal, the normal becomes boring, and the result a sort of benign content becomes a bland, meaningless state devoid of any significant stimulus. Instead, what is needed for happiness is the vicissitudes of life. Were there no unhappiness, there could not be happiness. Happiness, therefore, is a function of rebounding from and considering the unhappiness that is a potential for virtually almost everyone, although the unhappiness for a particular individual is most relevant to him or her. With that in mind one of the most essential qualities regarding happiness is the fact that it is extremely relative, much like motion, and is best defined as the feeling of satisfaction (ideally punctuated by elation) one gets after achievement or averting the negative vicissitudes on might have encountered.

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 not a strange term to us. We usually use that word to express our feelings in every day. Additionally, more than a word, “happiness” is what we really need and always seek in life. However, finding and understanding deeply its meaning is not easy. The online dictionary, “vocabulary.com” defines, “Happiness is a sense of well-being, joy, or contentment. When people are successful, or safe, or lucky, they feel happiness.” Thus, we always wonder if we are happy or how could we be happier in our life. Happiness, therefore, becomes a goal for everybody.

When first asked, I believed that happiness was simply fulfilling a desire, but through topics discussed in class, I now realize that there is so much more to happiness. The road to happiness includes using virtues to receive gifts from God and from others. From the Beatitudes, we can learn to use what Jesus has taught us, to gain happiness in our everyday lives. We are taught that when we believe in God, mourn, be gentle, seek righteousness, show mercy,

Wherever I go I always talk how to become a happy individual, happy family, happy society, or community… I think in my family the richness is my mother’s affection. Because of my mother’s affection, in our home: full of joy (Dalai Lama, 2009).

Like, when Dalai Lama said that we should care more about others happiness, I agreed because it will help you have a positive outlook on life. For instance, when my classmate had a degree in computer science we celebrated by going out and having a good time. Dalai also said, “That caring about others happiness can help fear and insecurities”, I agree because I am insecure about some parts of my body that I do not show them because of fear what others might say. However, I know if I start showing then I can gain confidence and be happy with myself. I also agree on his theory about love and compassion bringing happiness; when you are alone you feel incomplete especially when you are warmhearted. I prayed that God would send me someone that would

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.” -- Denis Waitley

We are all like dogs chasing our tails when it comes to pursuing happiness. When we reach our tail, we don’t know what to do next. “The Futile Pursuit of Happiness” clarifies that the search for happiness is an endless cycle, and thus people should not make happiness their main goal in life. For example, people think that achieving their dream or purchasing the latest toy will complete their life, but the state of perfection is short-lived--they will soon want the next big thing. Part of the reason for our unhappiness is because humans incorrectly overestimate the happiness that will result from an experience or the purchase of a new possession. Thus they continue once again, seeking to find the elusive key to

It is human nature to want and desire certain things out of life. For the most part, people want the same things. No one is the same as anyone else but we all share the fact that we want to make our lives as good as we possibly can. There are many ways to achieve happiness and everything that is wanted out of life can make you happy. Whatever a person’s truest desire may be, if they obtain that desire they obtain happiness. All that is desired falls under “What will make you happy in life?” We long to be happy, but what gets us there?

Happiness will never be defined; although dispiriting, it’s important that happiness not be a central idea. Happiness does not have one definition because everyone has their own definition. The path to happiness is similar to a fingerprint, so we can’t create on definition. Everyone has distinct aspirations in life, and this creates a one-in-a-million chance that people will share the same path to happiness. Despite that, I have grouped eight generalized conclusions to happiness. These conclusions are generalized because my path to happiness will never be the same as the next person. The first conclusion I have found for happiness is wealth and fame. People tend to see these direct paths to happiness; however, they are used to get things that will bring people happiness. After this, there is also religion and philosophy. Religious people are often happier than secular people. A third conclusion is that understanding that suffering and death is inevitable. Death is bliss, and while people live suffering is the way to measure how happiness. Another conclusion is understanding our personality. The world is almost a 50-50 split of introverts and extroverts, and oftentimes introverts don’t know how to be content with themselves. Understanding how people’s personalities tie into their lives can bring happiness. The fifth conclusion is people gain happiness through contentment and meaning in life. People want to be included and have a meaning in their life. The sixth conclusion is

When you hear the word happiness, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Do you think of material possessions like designer clothes and accessories, the newest iPhone with the highest possible storage capacity, or a shiny red supercar? Do you think the amount of money you have or your current financial status has an effect on how happy you are? Plenty of college students, myself included, would associate happiness with possessing items like these or just having a lot of money in general. In today’s society, one common belief about social class is that the richer and more money or things that one has, the happier this will make them. This belief is reinforced by countless advertisements we see and hear everywhere, whether that be on

The craving for other things destroys happiness and creates an unhappy life. Once, while traveling, a bellboy delivered a message to Albert Einstein while he stayed at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. Einstein searched for a tip to give him, but he did not have any money on him. So instead, Einstein wrote down, on a piece of hotel notepaper, his theory on how to have a happy life and gave it to the bellboy as a tip. In German, Albert Einstein wrote down this, “A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness” (Bilefsky). Einstein shows that possessions, money and wealth do not bring happiness to a person's life, but possessing a content mind makes a happy life. Holding a content mindset throughout life will help form a happy life.

First and foremost comes Dalai Lama’s idea toward how to pursue a happy life. In Chapter 8 of The Art of Happiness, “Facing Suffering,” Dalai Lama argues that suffering is an inherent part of human life, and that accepting that suffering is both natural and unavoidable will help us to tolerate adversity and eventually work to remove the causes of suffering: “Our attitude towards suffering becomes very