Happiness
(author unknown)
Many people today are not as happy as they wish to be. Technological advancements have made our lives easier and more comfortable. We enjoy higher incomes and better standards ofliving as a result of progress and development, but happiness has remained a rather elusive goal for many of us. Our pursuit of material wealth and worldly possessions has robbed us of the contentment that we long for.
What is happiness and how can we obtain it? Happiness can be defined as a state of mind characterized by feeling of contentment, satisfaction and pleasure. People always think that their achievements, education, career, family and financial security can make them happy but later find that happiness is not always the end result. We can own and live in a beautiful home, afford a lavish lifestyle, wear designer clothes or drive expensive cars and yet we may be unhappy. It is a misconception to think that having lots of money can make a person happy. What then can provide lasting happiness?
Abraham Lincoln once said, ‘You are as happy as you make up your mind to be.’ Happiness is a matter of choice. We can make a choice to be either happy or sad. Being satisfied with who we are and what we have can make us happy. Unfortunately, there is no short cut to happiness. We should first set our goals and determine the areas in our lives that are impot1ant to us. Then, we should strive to attain those goals. We should make a conscious attempt to change what we can and accept what we cannot.
Being optimistic can aid in increasing our happiness. Always think that life is going to get better. It helps to have a positive outlook. Dwelling on the past and rnminating about something that went wrong can lead to depression. At the same time, we should never try to compare ourselves with others. It will only lead to unhappiness. Instead, we should count our blessings and be thankful for all the good things we have–good health, family friends and education. Happiness starts at home. Therefore, we should all try to improve our relationship with our parents and siblings.
Research ha shown that happy people live longer, are healthier and are more successful, they also enjoy more fulfilling relationships and are respected by others. Therefore, instead of brooding over our pains and s01rnws, we should always keep ourselves busy and find pleasure in small things.
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