Are you really Happy?

As I was reading the article in (TOI) titled "Are you really Happy?" I had a few questions, which I thought to share.

Excerpt from the article: " In fact the British Govt has plans to "teach" happiness in schools starting next term! The Govt has been advised to use advertising and marketing techniques to sell happier behavior".

Times Life conducted a survey among 17 to 45-year-olds in the cities of Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Pune. When asked what makes them happy, 31 per cent of the women replied family, 29 per cent admitted that their jobs gave them more happiness than their family, while others chose options like travel, sex and giving happiness to someone else.

Why do a large majority of people worldwide report that they are quite happy with their lives?

What makes us Happy? Is happiness driven/ more influenced by external conditions or personal disposition/personality?

Can happiness be acquired from synthesized packaged deals like by self-help books and self styled Gurus?

Can we categorize happiness as emotional, spiritual and materialistic? And further grade it.

Or happiness is just an emotion or feeling, which makes you relaxed or eased out. In other words Happiness is what you make up your Minds to be.

Originally posted by: realitybites

Or happiness is just an emotion or feeling, which makes you relaxed or eased out. In other words Happiness is what you make up your Minds to be.

I think this is happiness.

Many monks and sages had it right - "desire" for more things (material or immaterial) creates dissatisfaction, which breeds unhappiness.

If one can accept life as it comes, it is easy to be happy. But, this again is easier said than done.

very nicely written post reality bites. 😊

I think every one on earth spends huge amount of time pursuing happiness , either through hedonistic ways or through more spirtual ways like meditation. Some of us still don't get it inspite of having it all. Some are happy within limited means.

Yes, its certianly a state of mind like many learned people ,including average people have said.

But the truth is half the world's population does not feel satisfied with what they have.

i think i was philosophical enough for one day.........I am done with my spituality side ................now better go and seek some hedonistic pleasure ............* Aparna gets ready to go to the spa and spend the rest of the sunday shopping * !! 😛 Edited by Aparna_BD - 17 years ago

A lot of people associate happiness with materialistic achievement ... I think they are very misguided.

happiness is from within ... some people are just not happy no matter what ... they're always upset about something or the other ... they see the glass as half empty.

as tanaz said ... if we minimize our desires and get the "glass is half full" perspective we can reduce our unhappiness.

also, just my opinion, people have to stop using the word "depressed" ... i believe depression is just an economic term ... but people have started using it soo commonly ... a little thing goes wrong and there they are saying "i am depressed 😔 " ... i think its just about seeing the positive side of everything

being overly optimistic is another thing ... but generally having a positive outlook towards life and keepin myself happy without depending other people or things for happiness is wat i think keeps me happy. 😛

just my 2 cents 😛

Originally posted by: J.

also, just my opinion, people have to stop using the word "depressed" ... i believe depression is just an economic term ... but people have started using it soo commonly ... a little thing goes wrong and there they are saying "i am depressed 😔 " ... i think its just about seeing the positive side of everything

being overly optimistic is another thing ... but generally having a positive outlook towards life and keepin myself happy without depending other people or things for happiness is wat i think keeps me happy. 😛

just my 2 cents 😛

Jas in India this term "depressed" is highly underrated and in the U.S over rated.

We Indians do not understand how deeply depression can affect and its symptoms, form of treatment etc etc. The typical reaction to an Indian feeling depressed " Oh !! Get over it !!! boohoooooo !!!!" I have seen the serious affects of it on so many of my friend who ended up neglecting it and suffered from post partumm depression and had a break down or another friend of mine had a break down and was much later diagnosed as bi- polar. If they had got help before they would have been treated earlier and they and their families and friends would have suffered less.

In the U.S, at the drop of a hate Americans tend to see a therapist, and take medication. I first found Americans almost "hypochondriac". But at least they avoid suffering .

So don't under estimate depression my friend !!😛

One can be happy with anything. Happiness is all around you, you just have to see it.

Originally posted by: Aparna_BD

We Indians do not understand how deeply depression can affect and its symptoms, form of treatment etc etc. The typical reaction to an Indian feeling depressed " Oh !! Get over it !!! boohoooooo !!!!" I have seen the serious affects of it on so many of my friend who ended up neglecting it and suffered from post partumm depression and had a break down or another friend of mine had a break down and was much later diagnosed as bi- polar. If they had got help before they would have been treated earlier and they and their families and friends would have suffered less.

So don't under estimate depression my friend !!😛

😳😳

What makes me happy? hmm....I really don't know because there are lots of things. I am happy when I see everyone in my family is. Even materialistic things make me happy 😳

For me happiness is the state of being content at that moment of time whatever the reason be.

Originally posted by: SolidSnake

One can be happy with anything. Happiness is all around you, you just have to see it.

so true

Originally posted by: Aparna_BD

Jas in India this term "depressed" is highly underrated and in the U.S over rated.

We Indians do not understand how deeply depression can affect and its symptoms, form of treatment etc etc. The typical reaction to an Indian feeling depressed " Oh !! Get over it !!! boohoooooo !!!!" I have seen the serious affects of it on so many of my friend who ended up neglecting it and suffered from post partumm depression and had a break down or another friend of mine had a break down and was much later diagnosed as bi- polar. If they had got help before they would have been treated earlier and they and their families and friends would have suffered less.

In the U.S, at the drop of a hate Americans tend to see a therapist, and take medication. I first found Americans almost "hypochondriac". But at least they avoid suffering .

So don't under estimate depression my friend !!😛

I agree on that di. That Indians, at times, do under-rate Depression.

But I think in countries like Canada/America ... people start using these words at a very young age.  I've seen 12 year old girls say they are depressed because they are not pretty or whatever reason.

Maybe peer pressure causes them to feel that .. not too sure why they get soo "depressed" at such a young age.

But yeah ... if someone really does get depressed then the results can be scary. And I agree on the fact that it is better to get help rather than regretting later.😳