Life and Happiness
Happiness, from a psychology point of view is defined by Wikipedia as being “a mental or emotional state of well-being which can be defined by, among others, positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.”
Happiness is a word derived from the Greek eudaimonia which means good life.
The bottom line is that we all want to have a good life full of happiness, but for many somewhere along the way, a wrong turn in life or some type of event set off a whole different picture of what was initially envisioned. I am not a big fan of watching TV, but I do spent quite a while in front of a computer and often I get distracted by the headlines. As a woman, I am noticing the latest trend in fashion along with some updates on Kardashians life, the simple girl that met her prince and despite all odds, they got married, the perfect looking bodies of all the famous singers and actors featured on the cover of different magazines, and the list of other’s projected happiness goes on. I used to believe all that “happiness” promoted by media was true and even finding myself thinking that if I only had half of what they have, I would be so happy. But lately I start noticing a large number of suicidal among these people who seem to have it all. This puts a whole new light on what happiness means. They sure had the money to maintain happiness, but there is no such thing as “intense joy” for sale in any of the high end stores.
Through my traveling I learn about a different type of life than the one featured on TV, internet and media, the simple life. A life outside of the sterile environment we live in and with none of the conveniences we often complain about. Surprisingly these people who had all the reasons in the world to be in rush and on the go go mode, were actually not, they were patient, took the time to answer the questions of a lost tourist and they were happy that they could help once they noticed the gratitude we expressed for their little assistance. There was no monetary transaction involved, there was no exchange of goods in the picture, but a conversation between two individuals that couldn’t even speak same language. Have you ever helped someone in need without expecting anything in return? If you have, I am positive that you experienced a good feeling and maybe even slept better that night. Do you have a pet at home that greats you or is just there when you come home regardless if you had a good day or a bad day? This alone puts you in a good emotional state.
Humans are creatures of emotions whom instead of focusing their energy on searching for reasons that will result in positive emotions of contentment and joy, they let themselves sold on an image of happiness fetched by the latest model of luxury car or an accessory or a bigger house or other material things. By chasing this shadow of happiness most lose their identity, purpose, health, spirituality and all of these lead to mental issues that need to be addressed by trained medical personnel. It is a big unnecessary toll people pay before they realize what true happiness really means. Some big achievers also deal with fear, the fear of ruining their image which results in lack of courage to search for help.
But there is hope, you have the power to take matter in your own hands. Can you get up from your bed in the morning? If your answer is yes, right there you have three reasons of feeling content: you have a roof above your head, a bed and you are alive. If you want to experience a positive and pleasant emotions, set a goal of doing something nice for someone this month without expecting anything in return. As a second goal, take a walk in the park, stop and admire a bird or a tree or a flower and you will notice how the chemistry of the body is changing. Life is happiness.
Diversity is what characterize humans and we all find pleasure in different things, it might be food, it might be nature, it might be friends and family, it might be a pet, it might be going to a concert or a game, planting a garden or being part of a community. All of these involve life.
Surround yourself with good and positive people, the ones that not only accept you and love you no matter what, but provide constructive criticism when necessary. Don’t compare yourself with others.
Sometimes when I am driving, I watch the dance of the cars on the freeway and make an analogy with life. Some of us are on the fast lane, some are on the slow lane and we all have a destination that we will get to at some point, some faster than others, based on our driving skills, the vehicle we are operating and the desire or need we have. Some will struggle along the way, but luckily there are nice people who will offer to help out. Just ask.

Today’s blog is dedicated to Kate Spade. 6/6/18