[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

May we all choose to be happy in the coming new year.

[BigBobber]

"Materialism is toxic for happiness," says University of Illinois psychologist Ed Diener. Even rich materialists aren't as happy as those who care less about getting and spending.

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

[Physicist]

It's easy to list the things that happy people do, but tough to say that doing these things will make people happy. 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.

I'm convinced that happiness is largely a function of personality (whether it's a result of nature or nurture I can't say). I'm one of those "naturally happy" people whose mood just defaults to being very happy unless something actively drags it down. It wasn't until I was married that I truly understood that not everybody is like that.

[Old Professer]

Life satisfaction occurs most often when people are engaged in absorbing activities that cause them to forget themselves, lose track of time and stop worrying. "Flow" is the term Claremont Graduate University psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced cheeks-sent-mee-hi) coined to describe this phenomenon.

Man, with a name like that, this guy could get into any speakeasy in town.

[LBGA]

This is a great article and a great message. There are many motivational stories about people who choose to be happy and positive, and it can be a learned response, I believe.

Some of us, like you Physicist, are naturally happy, but it still takes a conscious effort to decide not to let events outside of our control or people who want to hurt have no or little effect on us. I am one of those people everyone would hate in the morning. No matter what time I get up, which is usually very early, I am excited about the day and energetic and happy. That part is natural to me. Learning to stay focused and positive when events or actions beyond my control start to bring me down is harder. Living through eight years of Clinton was extremely hard for me. ;-)

This year I beat cancer, went through chemo and laughed and joked with friends and family that I hoped to have a crew cut by Christmas... which I have! My son is overseas right now, but I know it will be the happiest day of my life when he returns, which I have faith that he will.

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. Of course, I still do have to work at it, but that is the joy... knowing it is there if I reach for it. I wish for every one of my FR friends this expectation of good things, and may the New Year bring all of you just that. :-)

[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.
__________________________________________________________
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

[timestax]

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

[Aracelis]

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

[litehaus]

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

[Fintan]

Well, since you asked...

[ValerieUSA]

Sounds like the commandments that begin with "Thou shalt not covet...." are the secret to happiness.

[Taxman]

Good FRiends, good whiskey and good loving!

Seriously, in Man's Search for Meaning, Dr. Frankl captured the essence of it, IMHO.

As I recall, Dr. Frankl postulated that happines is a derived condition, not attainable as a direct goal. Those people who constantly and directly seek happiness probably will never find it.

Those people who seek to live useful, productive lives have a better chance of attaining happiness. I.e., it is the mission that is important.

Been a while since I read that marvelous book, but that is how I remember the essence of it -- and that is how I try to live my life. Of course, good FRiends, good whiskey and good loving help a great deal!

Thanks for the post. May I commend Man's Search for Meaning to all FReepers? No psycho-babble there -- just some very helpful observations and information about life and living.

[goodnesswins]

The pursuit of GOODNESS makes for Happiness, IMHO. Here's to a GOOD (and happy) NEW YEAR TO ALL!

[nmh]

I have moments of sadness but they don't last long. The most recent sad event for me was my nearly 15 year old cat having to be put to sleep. He had lymphoma in his liver and kidneys. He was supposed to die natrually in one to two weeks. He didn't. He hung in there for another six month and was more affectionate than ever. Yes he lost weight but kept on eating. It was less and why we finally had the vet some to put him down. It was love that kept him going. As for me, I loved seeing him happy and as content as he could be under the circumstances. He never hid. He loved us and why he lasted for so long. Even in passing, he looked content.

What kept me going is my faith in Jesus. It was time for Felix to go home. I know he is loved in heaven. What the sanctimonious won't admit or tell you is that there is a Hebrew word called nephesh. In most situtions it means soul. It occurs in the old Hebrew Bible 754 times.

It is used in conjunction to human beings and the lower animals. For the lower animals it is in 22 passages and rendered in nine different ways. The nine different ways are as a "creature", "thing", "life", "the life", "beast", "fish", "her". For man and the lower animals it is used in seven passages in three different ways: "creature", "the life", and "soul".

I could go on and on but you get the picture. It is reasurring for me to know that my precious pets soul is in heaven and someday we'll be reunited. So, for me Christ gives me happiness through His love and compassion. Knowing that no matter what, I can always count on Him makes my soul happy - not material things.