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What is happiness? (1 Viewer)

Henry Ford

Henry Ford

Footballguy
Your definition.  An actual definition is what I’m hoping for, but I will also accept “a warm gun” or other shtick answers. 

Also, referring to happiness, not joy, being ecstatic, or just being really, really high. 

 
The bi-product of self-reform. Victory over oneself to the extent that mood can always be modulated, motive is always strong & willing and the spirit becomes free enough to give more than take. Plus Swedish twins

 
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wikkidpissah said:
The bi-product of self-reform. Victory over oneself to the extent that mood can always be modulated, efforts can always be motivated and the spirit becomes free enough to give more than take. Plus Swedish twins
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I’ve been thinking more along the lines of “the confluence of reality, expectation, and acceptance.”

When you can accept the differences between reality and your expectations of it, I think that’s happiness.  

 
Happiness is actually always there, like fruit for the picking. The human organism wants to thrive and is good at it.

What it is better at is creating unhappiness for itself & others, usually commensurate with one's power of self-determination. So, modern happiness is actually the victory over unhappiness, most successfully achieved by inventorying & overriding one's juvenile models for getting what they want and avoiding pain & shame.

 
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Henry Ford said:
I’ve been thinking more along the lines of “the confluence of reality, expectation, and acceptance.”

When you can accept the differences between reality and your expectations of it, I think that’s happiness.  
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Have you read Epictetus? Just like Jesus, he laid it down 2000 yrs ago and we never picked it up.

 
Henry Ford said:
Your definition.  An actual definition is what I’m hoping for, but I will also accept “a warm gun” or other shtick answers. 

Also, referring to happiness, not joy, being ecstatic, or just being really, really high. 
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Accepting who you are, being content with what you have, and having the power to improve either of those things if they're materially deficient.

 
Dinsy Ejotuz said:
Accepting who you are, being content with what you have, and having the power to improve either of those things if they're materially deficient.
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Is “the power to change” important for “happiness” or for moving toward happiness? That is, while changing those deficient things, are you happy or just moving toward being happy if things can get fixed?

 
Henry Ford said:
Is “the power to change” important for “happiness” or for moving toward happiness? That is, while changing those deficient things, are you happy or just moving toward being happy if things can get fixed?
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the human personality, as presently constituted, is an unfit host for happiness. it's because, due to a design flaw, deep down we do not consider ourselves worthy of happiness, which almost always results in inner sabotage

 
Henry Ford said:
I’ve been thinking more along the lines of “the confluence of reality, expectation, and acceptance.”

When you can accept the differences between reality and your expectations of it, I think that’s happiness.  
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 I would say this is more contentment than happiness. 

 When I think of happiness the closest synonym in my mind is “pleased”.  Like that feeling you have when you’ve done a great job painting a wall or you look at your family and realize that you are very blessed or when you’ve done something for somebody else that was truly meaningful to them and allowed you to operate within your strengths.  Joyful satisfaction. 

 
Henry Ford said:
I’ve been thinking more along the lines of “the confluence of reality, expectation, and acceptance.”

When you can accept the differences between reality and your expectations of it, I think that’s happiness.  
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thought about a little and, at least til next time i think about it, my trifecta would be meaning, capacity, balance

ETA: My exacta is still Swedish twins - young, female, squishyfirm, attractive, identical Swedish twins

 
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Henry Ford said:
Is “the power to change” important for “happiness” or for moving toward happiness? That is, while changing those deficient things, are you happy or just moving toward being happy if things can get fixed?
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Depends on where you're at I think.  I had a lot of work to do in my 20s just to sort of get to a decent place as a person and I had no understanding at all that I was making progress towards something good until I got there.  So in my case, having the power to fix it wasn't enough -- because I didn't know I had it.

Now?  The sense of agency is part of my contentment.

 
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WhatDoIKnow said:
The "there is no other place I would rather be" moments.  I've really started to appreciate those moments as I've gotten older.  Location plays a very small part in those moments.
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This.  Yesterday my wife had to leave for work really early so I had to get the older kids off to the bus and then I had about 45 minutes with my 20 month old daughter.  Just her and I which rarely happens with two other kids in the house. We sat and played and wrestled on the bed for 20 minutes then chase the dog around the basement. It was the best moment I’ve had in several months and I was actually tearing up when I dropped her off at daycare. 

 
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Dinsy Ejotuz said:
Accepting who you are, being content with what you have, and having the power to improve either of those things if they're materially deficient.
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Being content with where I'm at and what I have is huge.   Sure there might be other places I'd rather be or other things I'd surely take, but not longing for those things is critical.  I live in NJ.  Is it my ideal place to live?  No, but I'm content here.   

 
I’m a simple man. I enjoy pretty, dark-haired women and breakfast foods.

 
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I think the path to unhappiness is living in the past or the future. I find myself all the time wishing I would have done something differently15 years ago or worried that I'm currently doing something that is screwing future Rirruto. But if I take the 30,000 foot view, my life is objectively awesome. I'm almost never unhappy in the moment. I'm just worried that I will someday be unhappy or worried that I could have been happier.

So, like Don Draper said, happiness is just the moment before you need more happiness. What do 99.99% of all humans want? More. If we can ever get out of that cycle and just look at what is going on in the moment, we would be a lot better off.

 
I’m not overly religious but I’ve always appreciated the sentiment of this portion of a scripture verse:

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

 
Putting hard work, health and wealth (in that order) at the top of your list for years and seeing the results.

 
I’ve never been the best athlete on the field or court but there have been games or days that I’ve been the best player and dominated. I can’t think of a more euphoric feeling. 

Since there likely won’t be very many of those days left, I’ll go with having an ice cold beer while relaxing on the beach with my wife and kids enjoying themselves. 

 
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Henry Ford said:
Your definition.  An actual definition is what I’m hoping for, but I will also accept “a warm gun” or other shtick answers. 

Also, referring to happiness, not joy, being ecstatic, or just being really, really high. 
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Haven't read the thread, so apologies if this has been mentioned.

Also, have to say, it's interesting because I've thought about this a lot recently (cue self indulgent liberal).

On morning talk radio in WNY area they briefly touched on this by quoting/referencing some comedian (you all likely know him, I don't follow comedians at all, he was in a car accident and almost died, can't remember his name).

This guy said  (paraphrasing) "Happiness is having something to look forward to".

Kind of an innocuous statement but it always struck me as kind of profound. It will mean something different to different people but examining my own life it rings true.

It becomes harder and harder to find those things it seems as you get older.  A lot of simple tedium it seems.

 
Henry Ford said:
Your definition.  An actual definition is what I’m hoping for, but I will also accept “a warm gun” or other shtick answers. 

Also, referring to happiness, not joy, being ecstatic, or just being really, really high. 
Click to expand...
A general sense of pleasantness. A feeling of contentment or satisfaction. Being satisfied and pleased.

My definition of happiness is being in situations or places that are beautiful all by themselves.

 
Happiness is different for everyone and never permanent imo. Happiness is doing something you love with people you love. For me it's managing my son's little league team. There is no feeling in the world having 12 8year old kids listening to you as a coach and trying their hardest to improve and calling me coach. That's my two hours of happiness. Its the therapy I needed at a real tough time in my life. 

 
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I’m pretty sure we know it is....To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.

 
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 "A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness."

- Einstein

 
"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle."

- George Burns

 
Ranethe said:
Haven't read the thread, so apologies if this has been mentioned.

Also, have to say, it's interesting because I've thought about this a lot recently (cue self indulgent liberal).

On morning talk radio in WNY area they briefly touched on this by quoting/referencing some comedian (you all likely know him, I don't follow comedians at all, he was in a car accident and almost died, can't remember his name).

This guy said  (paraphrasing) "Happiness is having something to look forward to".

Kind of an innocuous statement but it always struck me as kind of profound. It will mean something different to different people but examining my own life it rings true.

It becomes harder and harder to find those things it seems as you get older.  A lot of simple tedium it seems.
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Tracy Morgan?

 
Life itself is so amazing. At least if you have health and a reasonable amount of income to have some time to enjoy it. Hell, I was homeless for a brief period in my early 20's and was still happy. There is no more incredible thing than to be alive and well. I rarely look back and only look ahead to my next vacation or maybe now to plans for retirement. Live for today! Life is a blessing. When you see how others live, especially in war torn countries, you can't help but appreciate what we have here.

 
TripItUp said:
 "A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness."

- Einstein
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Awesome... I added this to my list of quotes I've been saving for a long time.

Here's the first quote on happiness I found searching through my saved quotes:

Many people lose the small joys in the hope for the big happiness. 
Pearl S. Buck 

 
When my opinion matters; when I make a difference in my work. 

Also, when she's hot and has a vageena. 

 
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