What makes people happy ?

USA Today ^ | 12-9-2002 | Marilyn Elias

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

What examples of "flow" can you find in your own life? How do they affect your level of satisfaction and happiness?

Consider your strengths. How do you incorporate them into your daily life? Do you agree with Csikszentmihalyi's assertion that "people feel best when doing what they do best"? Why or why not?

[maxwell]

We should force ourselves to be sad so they won't feel sad about being sad.

BWAHAHA... Whoops, I meant to say I am deeply saddened.

[maxwell]

Well I went and actually took that stupid test, HLL, because I am sitting here waiting on my next data-acquisition phase, and I found out that I am a very generous humorous person. Well duh. I'm the one who'll take yer a$$ out to the bar after your no-'count woman dumps ya and buy you a beer whilst trying to make crude jokes about how you didn't need that beeatch anyhoo.

[hosepipe]

What "IS" happy ?..........

Humans are so complicated arriving at a simplististic definition is so easy. When posed with this question at different times in my life, I would come up with different answers. All well thought out, too.
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The thorns which I have reap’d are of the tree. I planted; they have torn me, and I bleed.I should have known what fruit would spring from such a seed.-Lord Byron

The world comes to us in an endless stream of puzzle pieces that we would like to think all fit together somehow, but that in fact never do - Robert Pirsig

There's always an easy solution to every human problem: neat, plausible, and wrong. Henry Louis Mencken

Always do right -- this will gratify some and astonish the rest Mark Twain
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. Will Rogers

[spectre]

Exactly, Centurion.

"I'd rather be miserable and rich, than miserable and poor". Although, I am neither at the moment.

For me, happiness is all about finally reaching my level of comfort. I'm satisfied.

sw

[anniegetyourgun]

Your story of this year for you is truly inspirational. Thanks for sharing. Joy is a different thing than happiness, eh?

[Iowa Granny]

Nice article, C. And very interesting reactions to it.

[timestax]

Happiness would be all the Clintoons/Rodhams,Dasholes,Gores,etc. exiled to Gillagins Island w/NO hope of rescue!!

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

You have always been an inspiration. Bless you and a prayer for your good health.

[Aracelis]

Hmmm...the times that are consistantly pleasurable to me are the times I spend alone in my lab...

[summer]

Great post, Hillary. Happy New Year to you! :)

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Then people in the Third World should be happy. How come they're not?

Because materialism isn't the simple act of owning material things. It is the quest for material things.

Perhaps they are happy. I'm sure there are some necessities that would make their lives easier but that may have no bearing on whether they are happy or not.

[PatrickHenry]

"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of the women!"
-- Conan the Barbarian

[LBGA]

Oh gosh, I didn't mean to try to inspire, but I'm glad if I did. My point was that we have a choice to be happy or not.

My favorite story is one that circulated a couple of years ago about the restaurant owner who loved everyone and was greatly loved in turn. When he was shot, the doctor's gave him up for dead. Even though they thought he was unconscious, he was aware of what was going on and yelled at the doctor's to operate on him believing he would make it. They did, and he did. I just love that story because it says to never give up.

I think most people on FR are like that because to me it is a very conservative, personally responsible attitude about life, and of course, faith is the added element.

Joy is very different from happiness, Annie, and I had never thought about that until you mentioned it. Thank you.

[Pippin]

Me Too!

[Dianna]

Faith, to me, is what allows me to be happy no matter what. I have been blessed with so many good things in my life and all that befalls or befuddles me just makes me think something better is just around the corner.

I am a natural depressed worrier. I have to work at allowing God to take some of my burdens. It may be several times in an hour where I have to remind myself that I am not carrying THAT particular burden and find something else to occupy myself with.

I have been very, very blessed. I try to focus on that several times per day. Hoping one day it will become "routine" to feel as happy and peaceful as I ought to feel.

[LBGA]

Well, it's clear that not all of my brain cells have recovered. I hope they do come back with the rest of my hair. ;-)

The "doctors" didn't expect him to make it. (twice I did it!)! :-(

[LBGA]

Dianna, there must be some kind of chemical makeup within which makes some of us naturally happy most of the time and others more intense and worried. With my make-up it is a lot easier to have faith. I really do admire that you work so hard to overcome a natural tendency and to use your faith, and I am sure you will be rewarded for it. :-)

[litehaus]

"A man is happy as the number of things he can do without."

[edwin hubble]

While it may be true that happy people are less materialistic than unhappy people, it doesn't follow that "Materialism is toxic for happiness." It seems more likely that unhappy people will turn to acquisition as a form of solace.

Actually, studies worldwide show a strong tendency to 'default' to a certain moderate level of happiness. Rich or poor (materialistic or not, first world or fourth world) the pattern is the same. Most self-report being happy. There are only a few national exceptions (a couple of small countries with a pattern of low happiness). Probably a selected genetic tendency toward optimism.

[longshadow]

the times that are consistantly pleasurable to me are the times I spend alone in my lab...

Alone? Don't you bring "Fredinand the Ferret" with you?