...Mahatma Gandhi one defined happiness as “when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” Barring any better definition of happiness from either positive psychologists, self-help gurus, or any other academic source, I tend to think this is a great summation of the definition of happiness. Gandhi doesn’t say anything about how these things make you feel, rather looks at it from a point of view of harmony between thoughts, expressions, and actions. Since one single accepted definition of happiness doesn’t seem to exist, and happiness is different for everyone, this begs the question; how can you increase your own personal level of happiness? Since WW II psychologist have been studying our brains as they pertain to our mental health. Approximately 30% of people in the USA suffer from some sort of mental disorder (Seligman, Parks, and Steen 418). After we figured out how to treat these 30% of people, psychologists then turned to the remaining 70% of the population with the thinking that “although these people may not be experiencing severe pathology, there is good evidence to indicate the absence of maladies does not constitute happiness” (Seligman, Parks, and Steen 418). The conclusion these psychologists came to was that “…we believe “happiness” is a condition over and above the absence of unhappiness… A review [of the literature] led us to identify three constituents of happiness: (i) pleasure (or positive emotion); (ii) engagement; and (iii) meaning”...
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...Most people want happiness, so they determined to achieve contentment. Some people believe happiness is based on what they can buy or touch. For instance, people believe having materials and possessions will make them happy. However, studies have shown that most happiness is within and it can not be bought. Having a positive outlook or perspective on life will provide people with happiness. In addition, people can bring others happiness. For instance, people who have supportive family and friends tend to be happier. Additionally, people find happiness in religion. Some people are happy when they have a connection to a higher power. Therefore, people will have happier lives if they interact with supportive people and focus on positivity. Happiness is living a delightful life that is filled with joy. Happiness is having a fulfilled life. According to Madhu S. Mohanty, author and researcher of “What Determines Happiness? Income or Attitude: Evidence From the U.S. Longitudinal Data” believes happiness “includes the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile” (81). More simply, happiness is...
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...Many people believe that happiness can be bought, or that money helps create happiness. Happiness is defined in different ways. Some may say that living free is a form of happiness. Others may say that family brings happiness to one’s soul. We can say that most people would like to feel some form of happiness. Happiness can determine how your life will succeed or not. Happiness can be maladaptive and adaptive in an evolutionary perspective. My happiness will help me and my future, survive in this modern world. My happiness is determined by my career. I have obtain a position as a police cadet that has brought me my happiness. My happiness is to defend those who can’t and to offer any help possible. My daily routine is different and exciting. The adrenalin rush I get from deterring crime or giving advice to people in need makes me happy. The...
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...Every person has a different meaning for the word “happiness.” Happiness is expressed in many different ways, and can be caused by the simplest things. Something as simple as seeing a person, getting a new pet, or even getting a good grade. I find happiness in the smallest things. Personally, my biggest happiness is being able to see my loved ones everyday. Being able to come home everyday knowing that I get to see my parents and my siblings is the best feeling. Having a roof over my head and a loving family is the biggest blessing. Family will always be there for you. We look to our parents for guidance, protection, and love. I come home and see my beautiful little sister everyday. Knowing that she’s healthy and always...
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...Happiness, defined by dictionary.com, is the quality or state of being happy. It’s the only way in which you can truly understand not only yourselves but everyone around you. The way in which everyone perceives happiness is surprisingly equal. There have been many psychological studies done trying to get to the bottom of what makes us happy. We thought that if qualified world class psychologists can do it, why can’t we? So we went out and found two willing test subjects one a 33 year old woman from Switzerland in Melbourne for work and a 19 year old boy working at McDonalds in Richmond. The question we put to them was simple ‘What’s your perspective on happiness?’ The 19 year olds response was “If you do something to the best of your abilities no matter what it is you will feel a sense of happiness.” The 33 year old replied; “When you achieve success in something you become happy and when you are happy you strive to achieve success.” Both these people come from not only different backgrounds but different...
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...Throughout the year’s happiness has been interpreted many ways by famous or ordinary people. Some have interpreted happiness from within saying you must make yourself happy by what you think is happiness. Some would say happiness comes from what you set out to do in life or setting goals. Some say happiness comes from pleasures or getting something you want like a video game or a purse that you like. Some have defined happiness as putting your faith in a deity then they will give you joy. There are some people who define happiness as how you make your happiness. Then you have those people who define happiness by having an item they worship. Personally, happiness is one of those feelings that sometimes you cannot define because it is hard to...
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...Shalini Chattopadhyay 121200247 Happiness. How do we define happiness? Is it listening to the giggles of your child and watch them grow or is it the smell of mud after a heavy rain? Does it reside in unconditional love or dwells in watching the sun creep out of the water and rise into a new day? We value and seek happiness in our own way. But, did you know that in human beings, 50% of happiness is genetically determined, 10% is due to personal achievement for example: education, work and the remaining 40% depends upon our perception and feelings towards others? That was an example of human psychology. “To know how to do something well is to enjoy it.” – Pearl S. Buck .With this in account, every working individual looks for satisfaction in...
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...Each person defines happiness a little differently. Some may believe happiness is all about what you own in life. They think someone who has a Porsche is clearly happier than someone who only drives a piece of junk car, or the person with the mansion on the hill is much happier than the person living in the trailer park. Others might think happiness is something simpler, such as having a family to come home to or a job that pays the bills. No matter what a person’s personal definition of happiness, the most important thing about this is that they strive to reach it. Every day I am striving to reach what my idea of happiness is. I define happiness as being found by living in the present, achieved by living a virtuous life, and created through my own actions. Religions, philosophers, and psychologists all have...
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...Happiness Happiness does really happen or it has to be discovered. Moreover, contentment depends on someone’s circumstances because it needs to be feeling by creating, even with difficult times. I think there are sufficient of strategies people can use to create happiness or at least try for it. They need to find the right people in their life, find the right job that makes them pleased, by doing hobbies they want, and to do things that have to mean to their lives. We decided to be happy or not, which it has to be created. I think instead of focusing on problems like financial problems and health issues, instead focus on being happy that we are alive, having people to love and support them and have a purpose to fulfill. Be grateful for anything...
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...Happiness has a very controversial meaning for many different people. People do not always seem to agree on the definition of happiness and that is because people have not all had the same experiences in life where they can agree on a meaning. Through traveling to Belize, Costa-Rica, Cancun, and Puerto Vallarta I have been able to enjoy some amazing experiences as well as seeing how each location is different from one another. My definition of happiness would have to be traveling because I get to experience many different cultures, cities, environments, as well as doing different activities and seeing how each place differs from one another. Puerto Vallarta was the first vacation trip I took that made me realized how amazing being introduced...
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...Chibuzor Onyeka Ms. Martin English 101 September 26, 2017 Defining Happiness Happiness, happiness, happiness, what really is happiness? Well happiness is the feeling we get from striving to do want we really want, taking decision for ourselves. It is a feeling we get from trying to be successful at anything we do, being good and honest to those around us. Does getting a new car, a better job constitutes happiness? Yea it does but not for too long. Happiness can’t be gotten from material things rather it is gotten from the decisions we make in life. Happiness is all about choice and determination because you can make yourself happy. A man who chooses to be happy, and a man who is determined i.e. keeps telling himself that, no matter what happens...
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...Happiness in Fahrenheit 451 The book Fahrenheit 451 is a dark book. The people that live in the city are very awkward towards each other. This is a result of them not truly being happy. The society is very unsocial and spend most of their time watching their 3 wall tv’s. They rarely talk to each other even if they are married. True happiness is when two or more people show compassion for each other. These people can be married, siblings, cousins, family, and neighbors. In modern society true happiness is when a couple gets married or when a family has a reunion. True happiness, is an inner quality. It is a state of mind. If your mind is at peace, you are happy. If your mind is at peace, but you have nothing else, you can be happy. If you...
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...What is Happiness? John Barrymore once said, “Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open.” You find happiness in places you never thought you would. Now, how you find it, is based on what doors you leave open. Happiness is a release. A release from all politics, school, and drama. It is that “ahhh” feeling you get when you just completed a 5 page paper and can finally turn it in. That feeling that calms you down and makes you feel alive. For once you are finally living the way you see the people living in the movies. The successful business man or woman strutting the streets, holding their head above all others, that is you. Or the picture perfect family, with a big house, a dog, straight A students, a housewife, and a working husband. The release from knowing you are better than the people around you just because you found happiness....
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...What is happiness? Webster’s defines happiness as a mental or emotional state of well-being defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. I believe that total complete happiness is being completely content with who you are and what you have. Factors that contribute to happiness are family, friends, and love. I also feel that having that inner peace and high self-esteem are other factors that contribute to happiness. Depending on one’s definition of success can also be a factor of success because no one ever says that they do not want to excel in anything that they do. On the other hand I feel that a person does not need to be overly wealthy to be happy. I feel that all the money in the world cannot buy you...
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...The Need for Happiness Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thích Nhất Hạnh once wrote, “Happiness does not come through the consumption of things.” He persists that happiness only comes when one is free from materialistic desire.. The monk also suggests suffering is crucial to perceive true happiness. Brave New World embodies the same concept, does true happiness exist without suffering? Aldous Huxley purposed soma to be the object that eliminates suffering and, consequently, the characters think they are happy due to soma and conditioning. In the consumer utopia of Brave New World, citizens are conditioned to be happy, but do not experience true happiness because they are not willing defy the utopia, are not suffering, and are not liberated from soma. Defying the utopia is not in the best interest of the citizen considering genetically breeding requires little to replace them, but they are conditioned to believe they are in the best situation. “One believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them” (Huxley 234). In chapter two, the Director used a mild-electric shock to condition the children to not like books. If the children would have not been shocked, they would...
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