A simple question with probably complex answers

[Sevothtarte]

Are you happy with your life?

If so, why? What gives you strength, what's the big purpose, what keeps you going? Faith, family, love, belief in yourself?

Or aren't you happy? If so, even more: what keeps you going? Hope?

[Vain]

Hmmm...I've answered simpler Fast Fourier Transforms

Am I happy with my life? In the broader sense of the concept then I am. It's in the micro detail that some introspection points towards the frailties and the insecurities. Maybe the Devil truly IS in the detail - the filigree and shadow of our lives.....

I suppose life is what we make of it....mostly. We have personal hopes and dreams and aspirations - as we have for our children. Many of these may very well fall by the wayside and end up in the dream gutter but then again, we need to count our blessings, breathe in DEEPLY, and show a great big middle finger to that and those that would have us fail.

Simplified? While I still breathe, there's hope. Once I shuffle this mortal coil then my earthly abilities would amount to zero.....I need to learn how to NOT prattle along aimlessly

[Reisheiruhime]

In many ways, yes. Yet, no. No one can ever be truely happy in life, nor can they be, in death. I don't really know anyway.

[[Syl]]

i read an article in either scientific american or psychology today a while back with an interview of some great genius/philosopher whose name i didn't recognzie and can't remember. he did, however, have a very apt take on the concept of happiness, i thought.

basically, we put too much emphasis on the importance of being happy, and thus try too hard to attain something we don't know what to do with when we have it. in fact, we often end up feeling unsatisfied with whatever material object we fought so hard to get because it would supposedly make us happy.

the Constitution guarantees us the pursuit of happiness, but it does not promise happiness itself to us, or we'd all end up rebelling against the state.

in my opinion, it's more important to be content. to appreciate the fact that you're breathing, your loved ones are taken care of, and your responsibilities are met. right now i'm pretty content.

besides, it's so much easier to have fun when you're not trying to be happy. someone can probably quote it much better than I can, but there are a number of noble truths in buddhist philosophy. the first is that all life is suffering (dukkha, heh), suffering is the result of attachment, attachment is the result of desire, and so on. the less you desire to be happy, or the less you're fixated on it, the less you suffer, and are more likely to actually be happy.

i have fun. less than some, more than others. i can provide a decent life for my wife, child, and myself and my ability to do so is in no imminent danger. what more could a guy ask for?

(disclaimer: glibness due in part to this being one of the more depressing days i've had lately)

and now for some cognitive dissonance...


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Are you tired of advertisements that begin by asking you a question?
If so, you will absolutely love our product, or we'll...

[danlo]

Life is GREAT, y can't 1 be truly happy?

[Reisheiruhime]

I have no clue. I was asleep when I posted that.

[Damelon]

I have no complaints. Overall things are good. I have my health, which is the first key to happiness. Although I'm getting to an age where I have to pay more attention to maintaining it than I have been.

Are there things that I wish were better? Sure, but crying in my beer won't solve those things. The key is not to let the bad things become all consuming.

Life is GREAT, y can't 1 be truly happy?

It sure beats the alternative.

[danlo]

Count ur blessings, help others, b nice, move on: inspired by the priviledge 2 have known lost ones. Wherever they r they r pulling 4 u and want u 2 b happy. (It also helps, if u choose 2 believe in a god, 2 make it an awesome loving god--NOT 1 of these "Terrible Swift Sword Types") Blaze u own trail--like TC it can b tuff at times--but well worth the effort. Question everything and come 2 ur own conclusions! Don't believe anything AT ALL in the media! IGNORANCE and apathy r the most dangerous drugs in humanity. And 2 quote Ronnie James Dio: If you listen to fools-the mob rules! Faith is REALLY tuff, and sometimes hard 2 believe in. But, whatever u do KEEP THE FAITH believe in urself and ur beliefs. You r a miracle!!!!

[Fist and Faith]

A fool is "happy" when his cravings are satisfied. A [wise man] is happy without reason.
-Dan Millman

There is no way to happiness - happiness is the way.
-Buddha

In the true order of things one does not do something in order to be happy - one is happy and, hence, does something. One does not do some things in order to be compassionate, one is compassionate and, hence, acts in a certain way. The soul's decision precedes the body's action in a highly conscious person. Only an unconscious person attempts to produce a state of the soul through something the body is doing.
-<U>Conversations With God</U>

Pleasures conceived in the world of the senses have a beginning and an end and give birth to misery, Arjuna. The wise do not look for happiness in them. But those who overcome the impulses of lust and anger which arise in the body are made whole and live in joy. They find their joy, their rest, and their light completely within themselves.
-Sri Krishna in the <I>Bhagavad Gita</I>


I'm not going to claim that I'm able to live happily as easily as these quotes suggest we can. None of us has been brought up thinking this way, so we have to work at it more. (And I'm trying to raise my children with this in mind.) But here's more I have to say on the subject: www.geocities.com/laochuangtsu/

[Fist and Faith]

Oh hell. I was going to quote something from Ayn Rand's <U>Atlas Shrugged</U>. But I'm not sure it is clear enough without reading the previous 934 pages. So go do that, and see this view of happiness. By then, you know exactly what she's talking about, and it's perfectly clear and true. Some concepts that I'd never considered before had become, in my mind, basic truths of life. She's right about how a lot of things <I>should</I> be, even if they never will.

[Skyweir]

There is no way to happiness - happiness is the way

I guess that is somthing I can relate to .. I have always believed happiness is not a destination .. its a path .. or even a mode of transportation if you will ..

Each day through countless choices we make the choice to be happy or not to be ..

I like an earlier posters comments re: contentment .. 'Happy' as a verb .. maybe a doing/being concept .. it seems to be an attitude whereas contentment seems more an 'acqured state' .. or maybe they are both the same *shrugs* I confuse myself oft ..

I love my life .. I am alive .. I am loved .. I love .. I am happy that I love my life .. I am alive .. I am loved .. and I love.

Still there are so many ways I want to achieve more in my life .. there is so much I would like to do .. so much more I must do .. need to do!

well if I want to realise my dream of saving the world .. and being the social champion and valiant hero I am destined to be .. right

ok .. well it might not actually be destined ..

but .. there are so many things I want to do yet .. and unless my time is cut short prematurely .. I can and hope to.

anyway my delusions of absolute amazingness aside .. and we wont get into them here ..

I do have faith .. beyond myself .. and I do think that a faith in something greater than me .. sustains me .. and sustains my dreams. For me it is good to dream

I have hope .. hope keeps me moving forward ..

though I too am plagued with my own personal demons .. I get weary .. reluctant .. disillusioned .. disatisfied .. oft time my greatest battle is with myself .. but the truth is .. that is a battle I can win

I share Vain's relentless raving and incessant rambling problem .. it would seem

Am I happy? Yes! Am I content? I am ..

[duchess of malfi]

It's late at night, and I don't know if what I'm about to say will make any sense to anyone, but here goes...

Having serious adult onset asthma changed me. I used to be hurry-hurry-hurry, on the good old American treadmill of consumerism and working endless hours to get more money to get more things, that neverending gerbil wheel. Well, when you discover the truth of "you can drop dead on any given day", you start to realize what matters in life.

To me my family matters. People matter. The beauty in the world matters, whether it's walking through a cloud of butterflies in Colorado, or watching a lovely sunset from the eighth floor window at work. Ten years ago I would not have stopped to look at that sunset, now I make darn sure I take the time!

Am I happy? Yes. Was I happy the way I was before? No. Is my life perfect? No way. But it doesn't need to be, either. What gives my life meaning? Simply having it, doing the best I can for my children, my husband, my family, my friends, strangers who need a helping hand. Do I get frustrated sometimes? Well, yes, of course I do, especially with my job.

But how could life not be precious in a world that contains so much love and so much beauty?? To me every day is a gift -- a wonderful gift. And the world is filled with wonderful beautiful people who have filled my life with kindness. How could I not be happy?

Of the people I know, those who are the most unhappy are the people who cannot accept themselves and those around them as flawed, imperfect beings. I think that one requirement of happiness/contentment is accepting yourself and your loved ones as not being perfect. That doesn't mean that you can't try to be better -- but it does mean that at some point you need to accept/forgive yourself and others. And at some point constantly striving to make yourself and others better can hurt yourself and your relationships. It can drive the ones you love the most away...

[Skyweir]

well said duchess!!

It's late at night, and I don't know if what I'm about to say will make any sense to anyone, but here goes

...

I enjoyed reading your comments and they made the most perfect sense!!