Happiness overrated...?

Question:I believe in being content in life, but not sold in being happy in life. I guess it's b/c with so much things that happen to all of us, it would sound almost absurd to say that one is happy no matter what is happening in their lives. What do you think? Is trying to be happy a reaction to this world's advertisements and pressures, or is real happiness achievable or even desirable?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I believe in being content in life, but not sold in being happy in life. I guess it's b/c with so much things that happen to all of us, it would sound almost absurd to say that one is happy no matter what is happening in their lives. What do you think? Is trying to be happy a reaction to this world's advertisements and pressures, or is real happiness achievable or even desirable?

I believe real happiness is actually something more like contentment--not being on a total high all the time, but being able to pause for a moment, look at your life, and be glad and grateful that it's yours, that you're living it. That doesn't mean everything has to be perfect. I think the media misrepresents what happiness really IS, not it's importance to our lives.

ever tried weed?

jk. Happiness in my opinion is relative. If you have a crappy day, and your lover hugs you, you feel intense happiness. If you've just spent all day hugging people, and your lover hugs you: big deal, pfft.

So, it's all relative.

That's why there is sadness in the world, because happiness could not exist without it as it is relative.

emo

Unconditional happiness is the only kind. The other kind fades away waiting for something else to come along. Happiness depends on love expressed, not on something received.

Happiness is doing things that make you happy, if nothing makes you happy, then why are you posting questions on yahoo answers, go out there and find something to make you happy.

happines comes from within
It's a byproduct of being busy and doing things for others...
All we can control is ourselves and how we react to the rest of the world.
When you look into a newborn'e eyes, there is MAGIC-- despite what the rest of the world is doing...or NOT doing...

Been there. Check out Zoloft. Just for a month or two.

Absolutely! I believe you can truly be happy. I honestly truly am happy! I try sometimes to be upset, and I just am not. You just have to learn how to conquer life when it brings you down.

your weird. im happy. go see a shrink because they're fun. for every weirdo they get, you get a free chocolate covered banana on a stick!

I think that depends on the individual that u ask. When you are young and have no worries I think that its not to far off to say that you could be happy.

Haha. It's possible to achieve, and certainly to be desired. But your definition of it might not be the same as everyone else's, and that might be getting in the way.

Can you say EMO???
(ok i can and i am)

but i think everyone wants to be happy because there is nothing to worry about when your happy and there is nothing un happy to deal with.

Happiness, true happiness can always be reached. People, sadly, look at society for what they're "supposed to be like" for things that will "make them happy." that's why so many people are unhappy, they've turned outward to society and media and strangers to find happiness, when true happiness is being yourself, living your life as you want to live it, not as others tell you, you should live it.

Joy and happiness are different. Happiness is not something that feeds your soul. It is a wonderful, light and fluffy feeling and I'm all for it, I just don't do constant check in to see where I am on the happy scale. Contentment is a constant that doesn't have to flutter about like happiness.
You sound very centered and aware. I think you will have a very good life.

Happy is as happy does. Only an undisciplined mind reacts to the chaos in the world with stress. A pure heart beats fierce and can see the fallacy in illusion.

Happy with the status quo.
Content in the situation that's presented.

Its achievable, and for most, desirable. WHAT happiness means to you, is entirely up to you. Advertising and Marketing all try and get you to believe happiness is being beautiful, or having kids, or doing drugs, or being rich. And for some, this is true.

But what you should focus on, are the things that make you happy. If nothing makes you happy, maybe you should try a change in scenery. Whether this means moving away physically, changing friends or whatever, just do something different. Who knows, maybe you'll find your happy one day...

Good Luck

right...well i think happiness is something we all should have, unfortantly life and its cruel ways makes it dissapear...real happiness is indeed acheivable and desirable my friend you just have to find it...

The only true happiness is realizing that you are going to be in the soon to come kingdom of our heavenly father once this nightmare of a world is over. Providing that you live the right life,

my best friend...laughs at everything...and i've only seen her like depressed twice(and shes 18 and gose through alot)...shes a strong christian...and she says it runs in her family...but idk,,,u reap wat u sow!!?!???!?

Happiness doesn't mean you have to laugh in the face of crisis. It is an inner peace with yourself that you are satisfied with your life. You still can have other emotions such as anger or sadness and be a happy person. You certainly don't get much out of life unless you experience all emotions....love, jealousy, pity, remorse. You might have to search to find your true happiness, but I don't think it is overrated at all.

Happiness does not come from things. Things just break, fall apart or get lost. After we get something we are wanting there is always something else that takes its place. Happiness comes from goodness and love. You can't touch it but you can see it in a friend's smile when you've gone out of your way to do a good deed.

Yes, unfortunately sometimes it takes a LOT of years and living experience and realizing a few things. I have just, in the past couple years figured out how to get my head in the right place. I am 49 years YOUNG btw. I've had two children - one disappeared - he's 29 and a heroin addict -- after stealing everything from us over the years, my youngest - is a Corpsman in the service and he's far away. I've had breast cancer -- but okay now....we've lost our home....I've been laid off on a few occasions and afraid we'd be on the street because it got really bad. BUT I have realized that I can not allow things to take over my head/heart that I have NO control over and let's face it, there really ARE things out of our control -- worrying about them ONLY makes us miserable (but we do it anyway, why?). Money causes more fights between struggling couples -- in reality, why fight about something you don't have? Concentrate on what you do have.
I have in-laws who have been like poison to my life (married 25 years).....and I have finally released them from me -- and it was like the biggest relief ever (for the past 3 years).....I decided that I'm fairly important......I have grandchildren (2 of them) but I'm not rich - not even close - paying the bills and that's about it -- but that is a GOOD thing because there have been times we could not pay them. Things can ALWAYS be worse and it's honestly not what happens to us in life -- it's how we handle what happens that matters. I know, it's hard and like I said, it took me a LONG time to figure this out ..there's more but this is long enough...I think you get my point though.

I understand what you are trying to say, but happiness isn't overrated rater its underrated.

The thing is though that thos things on TV that our are talking about relate happiness with material things that don't equate to happiness in the long run.

So find what truly makes you happy, and avoid the pitfalls of those things that only supply you with a short sugar high.

If it makes you feel any better this is a struggle that many people deal with for a lot of their lives.

Life is a beautiful thing, not from the perspective of Polyanna but from the perspective of real, realistic people. There are times to fail, times to gain and times to stay neutral but when you put all the small pieces together, the layers complete each other and suddenly you are happy. Seeking happiness is smt that people do only if they are not aware of the fact that they are happy. We are happy, since being happy is not about being miserable, it is not about suffering poverty, it is not about lacking basic needs, it is about seeing and accepting that life is "beautiful" even though obstacles exist. It is about thinking about the flowers which are going to bud tomorrow, the sun will rise, seconds later you are going to take a breath and that, I promise you, will make you happy if you are able to see it.

you're missing out. im happy nearly all the time. it is good to have down times though... its normal, helps to appreciate the good times. ive adopted the 'there's no stress in my world'
do things that make you feel happy, hang with friends, family, read, draw.... getting off ya *** and away from the computer and get some sunshine and exercise. it will increase your mood. dont take notice of advertisments!!! you'll be surprised how revitalised you will feel if you dont read magazines, watch tv etc and get out and do stuff

well there is alot that has happend in this world..
but the more people who try to be happy
an help other with just make the world a better
place.. so we should try to put on happy faces.. and
act happy.. then we might actually get happy on
this world

for mostly people happiness's meaning of life
hap·pi·ness –noun
1. the quality or state of being happy.
2. good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy.
—Synonyms 1, 2. pleasure, joy, exhilaration, bliss, contentedness, delight, enjoyment, satisfaction. Happiness, bliss, contentment, felicity imply an active or passive state of pleasure or pleasurable satisfaction. Happiness results from the possession or attainment of what one considers good: —

Antonyms 1. misery.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)

happiness is only desirable i think. The way I think this is desirable is if you do what you have a passion for. I love to play soccer and when i come off the field, either hurt, sad, or beaten i am still happy i continue to play. Why do I continue to play? I have a goal to be the best in the world, will it come true? probably not, but it's something i work for, it's something i also enjoy, so it can hardly be considered as work. I will still not achieve happiness if this comes true though. I will strive to become better than ever. I'd continue to train and work. I would want to not only be the best in the world, but perhaps be the youngest, or i want this many goals in a season, or i want to break this record, maybe i'd like to score 3 goals in the world cup finals. There are so many goals to consider out of one branch of life, that i believe happiness cannot be achieved, but you are fed little bits and parts as you continue to get batter at something you are passionate about.

~sig~
7 days without soccer makes one weak

Julia

Firstly it is now known and accepted by most if not all scientists, doctors and psychiatrists that most mental conditions and states of the mind are results of various chemical interactions and balances (or imbalances) in the brain.

I could write a book on that aspect alone ... but for now lets just focus on happiness. The hormones endorphin, serotonin etc, for example are ones that are responsible for feeling good or great.

Endorphin flows in larger quantities after sex/orgasm and also when eating chocolate! ... oh and we thought we were just addicted to the dark stuff :-) not so, not just addicted ... it makes us feel good.

Different people have different levels of endorphin and other hormones and chemicals. Clinically depressed people and people suffering temporary depression have lower levels of endorphin or other related hormones.

That is how it is scientifically. Emotionally however, we still have some control and influence over how we feel.

When we see and know that we are less happy than average, more depressed or unhappy than others can be a good motivator to seek help. Medically the likes of Prozac help address the chemical imbalance.

But there are drug-free treatments too. But for most of us, a "treatment" is not required. Just learning to do more of the things that make us happy (& yes flow the endorphins etc) is not only enough but also works really well.

Case in point is when we start watching a really funny TV series. This affects the rest of our daily life too. People who have more laughter and more (healthy) fun live longer, suffer fewer diseases and less serious ones. They also recover from medical ailments much faster too.

Example: cancer patients with a great family around them and a positive attitude beat the menace more often that those depressed and with little to make them hapy (like a great family and friends around them).

So in conclusion, happiness is not only not overrated but also I think it is hugely underrated in my view. It can be achieved and increased. Different people have different levels and definitions for happiness. But generally regardless of the definition, happier people feel better than others.

The pressures you mentioned are there, yes. But they are modern phenomena. Happiness is as old as humanity or even as old as the animal kingdom. It does exist and thankfully we can all get more of it, if we take action.

It is great question you asked and I thank you for it. It is also a very serious matter that affects us all so I felt that it deserved a serious and thorough answer as well.

I urge everyone no matter how happy or unhappy to learn more about this human condition. Learn to amplify it in yourselves and then in others around you. Making other people smile, laugh or feel good is one of the greatest gifts you can give as one human to another.

And do try to make sure you have at least one or two laughs everyday and do the same for someone else too. Go give that gift.

S

I THINK YOU HAVE AUTISM.

Most autistic people can not express emotion.