In this modern age people constantly seem to be evaluating how happy they are, even trying to quantify it. Many will read books on the topic, do online quizzes to assess how happy they are, but what does being happy actually mean.
The dictionary defines Happy as…..feeling or showing pleasure or contentment.
Many people will often gauge their own level of happiness compared to others. With the rise in social media many of us now document our lives online, sharing our celebrations and achievements. However this can leave some people questioning if their lives are as full and as happy as their online counterparts.
Happiness for each person is different because we are all different. We all like different things, we all enjoy different hobbies, activities, food, even different weather to each other the list is endless…
The media as a whole and the celebrity life styles that we are exposed to can be very materialistic. Fuelling the ever growing obsession that possessions equal happiness. This essentially could be why people are questioning themselves more as to whether they are happy or not. I have the car, the latest phone, and clothes yet something is missing. People may feel they are never quite happy enough, as actually they are aspiring for things that make other people happy. They have not really sat and thought about what they enjoy doing or what makes them feel content.
I recently had a conversation with a friend who was feeling down about their own life. She commented that most Saturday nights her friends would be out having cocktails and then finish the night with a meal in town. She on the other hand would walk her dog to collect a takeaway and spend the evening playing board games with the family before chilling out and watching a film. She felt she was missing out and so decided to join her friends one Saturday. Turns out that even though she had a lovely evening she would have much preferred to be at home with the family.
Some people make the mistake of thinking, that they are not as happy as they could be. This in turn creates unhappiness as they are constantly questioning what they are doing compared to others……Stop…..happiness is personal, unique and precious. If you feel content stop questioning and comparing yourself to others. Appreciate and share others happiness but don’t analyse and covet, as you will be disappointed in the end. Essentially because you will be doing what makes somebody else happy and it may not necessarily work for you.
Quotes
It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness
– By Charles Spurgeon – Brainy Quote
Happiness is a choice, not a result. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy. No person will make you happy unless you decide to be happy. Your happiness will not come to you. It can only come from you.
– By Ralph Marston – Livelifehappy.com
