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Definition for happiness
The nature of happiness
Definition for happiness
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Modern Science defines ‘Happiness’ as the positive range of emotions that we feel when we are content or full of joy. Coca-Cola believes it’s a little simpler than that. Happiness, they believe is anything that can bring a smile to someone’s face.
Happy. What a tricky word. Does it mean being free of all cares? Do we suddenly let go of all our baggage? The new science of happiness helps us find deeper meanings.Defining happiness can seem as elusive as achieving it. Most of us probably don’t believe we need a formal definition of happiness; we know it when we feel it. We want to be happy, and we can say whether we are or not, but can it really be defined, studied and measured? And can we use this learning to become happier? Psychologists say
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The quest for true happiness is one that every person will adventure on. Great philosophers, religious leaders, writers and thinkers throughout human history have asked themselves this basic question. Through their wisdom we can learn and maybe take just one more step on our own happiness …show more content…
Sir Thomas Brown wrote in 1642, "I am the happiest man alive. I have that in me that can convert poverty to riches, adversity to prosperity. I am more invulnerable than Achilles; fortune hath not one place to hit me." What kind of remarkable machinery does this guy have in his head? Well, it turns out it's precisely the same remarkable machinery that all off us have. A system of cognitive processes, largely non-conscious cognitive processes, that help them change their views of the world, so that they can feel better about the worlds in which they find themselves. Like Sir Thomas, you have this machine.Unlike Sir Thomas, you seem not to know it.As it turns out, the notion that we should be able to manifest our own individual happiness is a relatively recent concept in human history, starting in the late 17th century and continuing to develop during the 18th. Before then, suffering was considered the norm and happiness was thought to be a matter of luck. In fact, hap is both the Old Norse and Old English root of happiness—and it means luck or chance. We synthesise happiness, but we think happiness is a thing to be found. Natural happiness is what we get when we get what we wanted, and synthetic happiness is what we make when we don't get what we wanted. And in our society, we have a strong belief that synthetic happiness is of an inferior
Happiness has always been a desirable goal throughout our lives, but each actions we take might just affect the happiness of others. When humans seek happiness, we always seek for things that make us feel alive, or things that brings us the greatest comfort. Our contentment comes with the act of selfishness since we choose to prioritize our happiness above all other. We willingly classify happiness in two different types of meaning, both physical and mental happiness. People ought not be in title to happiness because it is classified in general as a physical desire by many people. Contentment is always known to be a physical satisfaction in life instead of a self-inducing satisfaction for life.
Happiness is a positive emotional state that is subjectively defined by each person. Theories of happiness have been divided into three types: need/goal satisfaction theories, process/activity theories and genetic/personality predisposition (Diener, Oishi, & Lucas, 2009). In regard to need/goal satisfaction theories Freud and Maslow suggested that the reduction of tension or the satisfaction of needs lead to happiness. In short it was theorized that we are happy because we have reached our goals. Such “happiness as satisfaction” makes happiness a target of our psychological
What is happiness? Marketing and media have brainwashed people’s brains into believing that happiness means to have material possessions such as cars, big houses, or brand new devices. Unfortunately, this overstated fable is far from real. In fact, most people misunderstand that happiness is a choice that lies inside them. Happiness depends on the decisions of oneself. That is to say that everyone is capable of adopting a happy life with willingness and little effort. It is important to realize that true happiness is a positive attitude, a healthy life, and meaning in life.
Being happy with yourself and who you have around you, is the determination you must studiously within yourself. Having a goal can lead you to happiness. Keeping a smiling on your face can attract happiness. Being active in the community can be your happiness. However, at the end of the day, no one will ever know how to find happiness unless you find it yourself. You must want it, yearn for it, and desire it to experience true
Happiness is a major concern for human beings, and it comes as no surprise that history has yielded many explorations as to what happiness is, and how it can be achieved. These explorations of happiness can be traced back to the philosophical inquiries of classical times, to today’s psychological studies on happiness. While happiness itself is generally difficult to precisely define, the operational definition of happiness relates to what is known as subjective well-being (SWB). In psychological studies, it has been determined that individuals are best suited to assess their own happiness, hence the primacy of SWB. This is in contrast with previous notions of happiness that tie happiness to virtue or any other objective notion of happiness. The subjective and personal assessment of happiness is an indication that can be measured, which is what SWB represents. The conceptualization of happiness as SWB has yielded important components of happiness, namely life satisfaction, or the overall satisfaction of an individual with his own life, satisfaction in life domains, or the satisfaction in work, health, marriage, etc., the dominance of positive affect, which refers to positive moods and emotions, and the diminishment of negative affect, or the negative moods and emotions. A person who has a high SWB also displays high levels of life satisfaction, satisfaction in life domains, and a largely positive affect in his experience. In turn, a person with high SWB is said to be happy.
Brooks, author of the article “Love People, Not Pleasure”, makes his case that happiness is something that can only be found within intrinsic values, rather than extrinsic ones. In other words, he believes that people who tend to focus their lives on the more materialistic things tend to end up unhappier, whether they have succeeded in life or not. Likewise, from a similar perspective, the movie/documentary Happy stresses the idea that happiness can only come from within one’s own motivations and desires to be so. Based on the movie and these articles about the idea of happiness, similar advice is given that needs to be adapted by our society if we want to change. As individuals, we essentially become happier the moment we realize that we should be focusing on our values more intrinsically rather than our values
Contrary to belief, genuine happiness is very rarely found at the bottom of a shopping basket or on the leather seats of a brand new car. Often we hear the cliché saying “Money can’t buy happiness” but this is in fact true. Whilst the elation and delight brought from finally owning a wanted item is extraordinary, you must remind yourself that your happiness should not become dependant upon your ownership of this item. Being happy is not something you can purchase from a shop or car dealership, it is the way you take on life. Unfortunately, happiness does not have its own aisle at shops and never will.
So how does one know if they have achieved happiness in their lifetime? or is it just a feeling that one has just like others feelings? What if someone does not feel and achieve happiness, can they go on achieving that happiness feelings? Personally to me, happiness is not measured by materialistic wealths or assets that ones has access to such as a fancy cars or houses because having these materialistic toys does not give you the ultimate happiness feelings. They are just for showing off, meaning that ones can use these materialistic
According to the Webster dictionary, the word happiness is defined as enjoying, showing, or marked by pleasure, satisfaction, or joy. When people think of happiness, they think about having a good feeling inside. There are many types of happiness, which are expressed in many ways. Happiness is something that you can't just get; it comes from your soul. Happiness can be changed through many things that happen in our everyday lives.
We want to be happy, and we can say whether we are or not, but can it really be defined, studied and measured? .When we define Happiness, “Happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to extreme joy”. ( Peterson et al 2005). What make people happy?
As all humans before us, our desire to understand all that confuses us has led to many breakthroughs like space travel, the creation of religion, and ocean exploration. However, some things are better left incomprehensible. The measurement of happiness is both illogical and unrealistic due to the faulty experimenting conditions. Happiness cannot be measured owing to the fact that the definition of happiness varies so vastly across different groups of people. It is immensely difficult, if not impossible, to place an intangible entity inside the limits of a definite definition.
In contrast, other people can find happiness in the simplest things. However, remember that happiness is in our hands. Just keep seeking it and we will be happy.
Happiness is a feeling that humans naturally desire. Without it, one feels incomplete. In this generation, happiness has taken on a definition by how we are presented to one another. It is measured by how much money we have, how famous we are, or the things we possess. When in reality, none of these things guarantee a happy life. Happiness is something that cannot be bought with money, but rather, it must be found, earned, sought after. Each and every one of us has our own list of things that we consider to make us happy. However, happiness shines brightest through the relationships we create, and the goals we make for ourselves to strive after. Along with these two essential sources, we then can mix and match those things in life that we enjoy to create our own unique formula for happiness.
But in this debate, one question still raises its head - What is happiness? Happiness is not actually leading a luxurious life, but the luxury of living a life. Happiness is not actually about expanding your business, but it lies in expanding the horizons of life. Happiness is not having a meal in the most famous restaurant, but having it with your most beloved family. It does not lie in attending honorable parties, but to attend a party with honor.
Happiness is a feeling that cannot be broken if strong enough, no matter how much sadness or hate is around you. Happiness can come from the smallest thing, for instance, music makes me happy and can easily change my mood, or when I am doing something I love my mood is easily changed. For others it could be whenever you do something well, or right and get recognition for it. It is the easiest feeling to be spread and given out but often neglected and forgotten about which is something we should all be more aware