Happiness

[chas]

Focus on being kind to other people . . .

I do this every day except when I'm too tired or when people go out of their way to be nasty to me. It takes no more physical energy to be nice, and much less psychic energy.

[BillChin]

Dennis Prager's ten-year quest led him to the conclusion that gratitude is the #1 link to happiness. For the vast majority of Americans, I would agree with that.

It is important to distinguish between pleasure and happiness. Eating an entire cheese cake may give me short term pleasure, but will not lead to any lasting happiness. In fact, the stomach ache, and weight gain will result in a negative. Same for watching TV all day or all night, it gives stimulation and mind-numbing pleasure, but no happiness at the end of the road.

Being kind is fine and admirable, but I personally do not believe there is a direct correlation to happiness. I speak from personal experience--I have been a kind person for most of my life and I have a very shaky record regarding happiness. Some people are kind because they need to please, because they are insecure. In some ways, it is a frightening way to live, always wearing a mask of kindness. Cultured, polite and classy are another kettle of fish, but again while admirable, I don't believe there is a connection to happiness.

Enough rambling.
+ Bill

[Charlene]

1. Long walks on a sandy warm ocean beach picking up seashells.

2. Having enough time and money to do whatever I want to do whenever I want to do it.

3. Listening to music by my favorite performer.

[feadogin]

1. good reed days!
2. my Mom
3. my boyfriend learning the banjo

Justine

[Cynth]

1. My two kitties, Flora and Lilly
2. Flowers
3. Excellent books

[Doug_Tipple]

I am happy because it was a beautiful Spring day here in Indiana.

I am happy because I listened to Andrea Bocelli sing "Amor ti Vieta"

I am happy because I watched the movie "Tortilla Soup". If you enjoy food preparation and Hispanic culture, you will love this film. If there was a button on the remote that allowed me to enter into the drama of the family, I would have pressed it gladly.

[Flyingcursor]

my wife
my kids
my grandkids

[dwinterfield]

wife
dog
spring

[emmline]

Dennis Prager's ten-year quest led him to the conclusion that gratitude is the #1 link to happiness. For the vast majority of Americans, I would agree with that.

That's interesting, Bill. Have you seen a book by Masaru Emoto called The Hidden Messages in Water? While my inner cynic says there's something a bit pet-rockish about this, I'm intrigued by the photographs of water crystals which have apparently reacted favorably to positive concepts and images, and unfavorably to negative ones.
The most unifying and crystalizing words seem to be Gratitude and Love, with a stronger emphasis on Gratitude.
If Love is our actions, then it's Gratitude--or an appreciative and open attitude of heart--that is often a missing ingredient.
Interestingly, you can appreciate anything. Right now, I'm appreciating Cheerios with bananas and soymilk.

[BillChin]

Dennis Prager's ten-year quest led him to the conclusion that gratitude is the #1 link to happiness. For the vast majority of Americans, I would agree with that.

That's interesting, Bill. Have you seen a book by Masaru Emoto called The Hidden Messages in Water? While my inner cynic says there's something a bit pet-rockish about this, I'm intrigued by the photographs of water crystals which have apparently reacted favorably to positive concepts and images, and unfavorably to negative ones.
The most unifying and crystalizing words seem to be Gratitude and Love, with a stronger emphasis on Gratitude.
If Love is our actions, then it's Gratitude--or an appreciative and open attitude of heart--that is often a missing ingredient.
Interestingly, you can appreciate anything. Right now, I'm appreciating Cheerios with bananas and soymilk.

A friend of mine mentioned the book "The Hidden Messages in Water." The scientific part of me says it probably has more to do with energy of the person manipulating the water than anything about the message. Perhaps one way to do it scientifically is to do double blind studies with people writing in unfamiliar languages. That way the person writing would not know what word is being written, it would be the symbol itself.

Of course, that may be the entire point, that a person focusing on a word or concept has a real, tangible, effect on the physical world.

I am convinced that there is a genetic predisposition to happiness. Some people are "born" happy, others have to work at it. Early childhood experiences also can have a profound impact on a person's attitudes towards the world. Given all of that, I do believe almost any person can develop the happiness habit. For some it maybe as difficult as learning to play a musical instrument well, requiring daily practice, reinforcement, and role models. I find myself in this latter group. I am getting there, but it has been a long, often times dark and lonely road.
+ Bill

[Darwin]

cran, why does the h in historic make you happy?

Well, because it's supposed to be there. It also makes me happy when people use 'a' as an indefinate article with the adjective "historic", instead of "an".

In short it makes me happy, because I'm a dork.

I'm with you on this one, but I tend more to get annoyed when someone fails to pronounce it. Maybe I need to take your more positive approach and appreciate the ones who do get it right.

As for my list:

1. Seeing altruistic behavior. Even little things are great, but seeing someone give up something they want to help another person is tops. I even respond to it in fiction. I got all teary-eyed the second time Buffy died.

2. Learning something new. I especially like bits of theory that tie together facts that previously seemed unrelated.

3. Playing music--especially with other people. Living in near isolation as I do, this has become much more significant to me over the past several years.

Since a_d has already cheated and suffered no apparent retalliation, I'll add:

4. My family--especially my two stepsons, who have turned into great guys.

[emmline]

A friend of mine mentioned the book "The Hidden Messages in Water." The scientific part of me says it probably has more to do with energy of the person manipulating the water than anything about the message. Perhaps one way to do it scientifically is to do double blind studies with people writing in unfamiliar languages. That way the person writing would not know what word is being written, it would be the symbol itself.

According to the book, the experiments were done double blind.

[Wormdiet]

3. When one of my students performs well

2. A good book

1. THe foolish hope that someday I will not be quite as alone as I feel at present.

[The Weekenders]

1. good reed days!

Justine

#4: It makes me happy that SOMEBODY wants to play the Union pipes and make all that great racket, but that it's not me!!!

[BillChin]

A friend of mine mentioned the book "The Hidden Messages in Water." The scientific part of me says it probably has more to do with energy of the person manipulating the water than anything about the message. Perhaps one way to do it scientifically is to do double blind studies with people writing in unfamiliar languages. That way the person writing would not know what word is being written, it would be the symbol itself.

According to the book, the experiments were done double blind.

Now I am really curious, I went to Amazon and some of the reviewers are bashing this book. Some of them are obvious sock-puppets with made up names like a spammer might use and few other Amazon reviews. The wall of hatred is startling to me, but the "anti-anti" people thrive on the Internet. These are the people that are against everything and for nothing. They are always right and always carry a chip of self-righteous indignation. They tend not to be very good company .

The author's credentials are not scientifically credible. I would like more credible scientists to try and replicate the results, but will not hold my breath because of the subject matter. It would take either a naive, a brave, or an old curmudgeon of a scientist to take on this type of project and risk becoming a pariah.

I will look for the book at the library. Thanks for posting about it.
+ Bill