What is happiness really?

According to a dictionary, it is "Enjoying or showing, or marked by joy or pleasure or good fortune."

However, what truly is happiness? And why does it make us so satisfied, so...high in spirits? In truth, it is a flow of emotion that can have you smiling or laughing, or just feeling...satisfied, good. But why do we enjoy it truly? What exactly about it makes your body feel nice? And does the fact that it can go away so easily, no matter how many times it returns...does it make you feel like that emotion is worthless?

To me, happiness is always something that brings cheers to others' hearts...it's like the sun showing after a storm, or ice cream on a cool day...something trivial, or something large such as finding your true love...and even though it can be a puzzling emotion that makes people crave it so, because it makes others feels good, as well as yourself...I find it something that I'll never despise. It's something always keeps you going, that positive, cheerful thought...what it is exactly that keeps your spirit high, I'm almost confused myself...

So...what is your opinion about this? If this subject is pointless, forgive me...

 

In this time, there is no happiness, is been confunded by "Material happiness", the people think that they can be happy with having things, so the answer is no, there is no happiness, sorry if I am cold, but I don´t believe too much that someone can be happy, because they will think that the happiness comes from the material things, but I don´t say it doesn´t exist.

 

Material happiness is wrong...yes...but what about happiness from other things? For instance...let's say you just went to a beautiful island, and the nature's beauty has made you happy, cheerful...it's something that cheers you, but also helps you to appreciate things. Or being happy from the fact that you're healthy and the rest of your family is fine, or when you manage to bring happiness to others...that means you're magnanimous, caring for others. Or when you're just having fun, chatting with your friends, family members, or others...getting to know them...just hanging out, feeling at peace...that can be happiness, not brought on by material things either...

 

dam you've been cold for a while

Yes but when you give like a homemade card to the person you love, to see them smile gives you a great amount of happiness, and what about giving birth, too see their cute little faces makes you feel overjoyed

there is still happiness in the world

 

Yes, but just a little, nowadays lots of people forgot about that and only think in material possetions.

 

that's true but what about the act of giving

 

However how few though, there is happiness though, you have to admit. Angels and I are one example, and I'm sure you're not one of those people who find happiness merely in material poessessions.

 

Like I said, I don´t say that happiness doesn´t exists, but I don´t have happiness, probably because when I try to talk to someone they insult or hurt me because I am too... Emotional, that´s why I don´t have friends, and that´s why I suffer always, and that´s why I decide to act cold, sorry for being a little off-topic =/.

 

oooh im an example - lawl

nah see i just laughed

 

It's alright...but throughout the suffering, there's always at least one moment of happiness, somewhere there...if you have an optimistic, open mind...I'm actually one of the most sensitive people (at least that's what my mom always says lol) and well, even so, I try my best to find that true happiness...you, I'm certain, have felt it before...but because you're trying to act cold...however, if you feel that's what's best, then I won't stop you...however, I believe if you really tried, just opened your heart to everything, passing the pain and suffering...there is that flicker of happiness and hope, that vanishes and then reappears constantly, to bring joy into your life once more, filling you with warmth...

 

Look, happiness is a perfect balance between emotional and material, if you have too much of either, your life can be completely horrid, and if you have too little of either, your life can be quite bad as well. See, if you only have material happiness, then you basically are alone, forever. If you have emotional happiness, then you will be without materials. So, the perfect balance between emotional and material is happiness, but, this can differ from person to person. Someone who is really selfish, may want more material and less emotional, but to them, that is the perfect balance, and someone who is really selfless, may want more material than emotional, but again, that is perfect for them. It all matters on your preference, and what you like the most.

P.S.
Not taken from anywhere, that is 100% mine.

 

I acutally have to agree with that. But on your opinion...what exactly is true happiness? Something that is just like a high of emotions that lifts your spirits, like I had wondered earlier, or something more? Like what is it about it that makes you just want it so much? And without it at all, it just leaves you...depressed?

 

Happiness is something you find by yourself, and it has multiple "tiers" so to speak.

Right now when I'm writing this, I'm not happy per se, but I'm not sad ether. Having lived the death of my father I know what sadness can be, and being a big gamer, I lived smaller, and bigger happiness moments too. Not to mention passing High School!

Happiness is not something that lasts very long. The "high tier" happiness at least.
By reading a few of your comments, you say that you don't have friends (over the Internet too?), and because of that you're cold. Umm... There's always someone that could be friends with you. I had a friend that has problems with himself. He was very shy, couldn't get himself together, didn't have friends, was stressed and discouraged by a lot of people, not to mention getting picked at. I made friends with him. And I know that it helped him a lot to get some confidence and open up, because the school psychologist said so. That may be your basic problem, but you don't realize it, and search in the wrong places.

People need other people. They really do. And if I'm saying this, then that's something, believe you me.

In other news - a hobby. Something you just like to do. Playing games? Riding a Bike? Driving RC cars? Bungee jumping? Reading books? Listening to music? Playing on an instrument?
That's the second most important thing, right after having relations with other people.

PS: There isn't "true" happiness. If someone's REALLY happy all the time, he's just a new patient of the cook house <.<

 

Just the feeling it gives you.

Of course, if your missing the emotions that give you a good feeling, than you should be depressed, or in a state between depressed and happy.

 

Well, if someone's really happy, I have a feeling that there's a possibility they're covering their feelings with a facade...but I suppose there really isn't "true" happiness as you said...although everything else you said, I have to admit is true.

And thank you Shadow, for answering my most likely, trivial, questions...but someone once told me...that they found the emotion, that happiness, disgusting, something that will just go away later and isn't worth feeling if it would just vanish...do you think this is true?

 

I do think this is true, but...the happiness can always come back, what goes up must come down, and then go back up again...

 

But do you believe it isn't worth ever feeling again? To try and force yourself not to feel it, because you just know it will come crashing back down? No matter how many time it does comes back up?

 

No, I don't, because the 'going up' is always longer and better than the short 'coming down' period.

 

And if you're afraid of the hurt that goes along with the "coming down"?

By the way, I apologize if I am bothering you with these questions, but I am having a bit of trouble with helping my friend understand this, and well, you seem to have the answers...

 

I have only one thing to say...


Happiness is one of the many things in this world that are inexplainable... we do not know why we feel it or where it comes from, but it is just there... and it makes us feel good... but we do not even really know what good is either, do we? Happiness will never be able to be explained... it just sort of exsists...