Are you happy? I mean are you really, really, really happy? What is happiness for you? Happiness can be an elusive state of well-being for many individuals. Some individuals are always smiling, laughing and give the appearance of being happy. Yet, the question, ‘Are you really happy?’ arises. What is the meaning of happiness, you ask.
he Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines happiness as a state of well-being and contentment; a pleasurable or satisfying experience; joy.
- Mahatma Gandhi said happiness is “when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony”.
- “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful” ~Albert Schweitzer
- “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence”~Aristotle
- Some individuals say happiness is bite of chocolate, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a kiss, the sun against their face or the smile of a baby.
In Buddhism happiness and sorrow are our responsibility and both arise from the mind. We can train our minds to be happy. “All that we are is the result of what we have thought”~Buddha.
Happiness and unhappiness have a way of manifesting in one’s lifestyle in various ways. It can have a profound effect on health and wellness, relationships such as family and business life, financial status, success, the impact we have on others lives and the world at large. Happiness can effect whether or not we may leave the world a better place for having been on the planet earth-better than we found it.
The brain’s firing and re-firing and the mind can affect the state of happiness and the resultant physical and mental well-being of women and men. This in turn affects how humans move and interact in the world around them which extends into the outer reaches of the community and the world. Positive emotions such as happiness help expand one’s view of the world, to recognize opportunities when they appear, to act on those opportunities, to grow, develop, to be creative and to have a successful business, a state of health and wellness, and positive relationships. This topic of happiness and positive psychology and how they affect our lifestyles warrants more blog posts.
In ending this post, I must say Dr. Martin Seligman, a pioneer in this domain, continues to conduct research, teach and write about authentic happiness and positive psychology.
Are you happy? How’s your health, your state of well-being? Is your business growing and financially healthy?
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