Jane Chin says Aug 09, 2008 10:45PM Happiness. Many want it, most don't define it, thus few who don't define it will ever find it. {Discuss}
DebInAustin says Aug 09, 2008 10:47PM oh this is a big topic for me. I see so many unhappy people, usually in the workplace, that I often wonder what makes people happy and more
Jane Chin Aug 09, 2008 10:46PM DebInDenver from personal experience it's usually bc have not defined what "happiness" means for the individual.
DebInAustin says Aug 09, 2008 10:46PM importantly me. One of my professors in grad school was a famous Chinese poet who lived in the US and had a Japanese wife (he had done his
DebInAustin says Aug 09, 2008 10:47PM graduate work in Japan then moved to the US to teach. So he said as long as he had these three things, he would be happy: 1. His beautiful
DebInAustin says Aug 09, 2008 10:49PM Japanese wife 2. His nice American home and 3. he could eat Chinese food any time he wants.
Jane Chin Aug 09, 2008 10:51PM DebInDenver in one of my biz articles i cited chris rock re: what men v. women want. i thought it was very insightful.
Jane Chin Aug 09, 2008 10:50PM men (according to chris) want 1) food 2) sex 3) silence. women want: EVERYTHING.
patricksweeney says Aug 09, 2008 10:50PM i don't think we actually can even define happiness until we hit a certain age
Jane Chin Aug 09, 2008 10:51PM i found that if one's definition of happiness is vague and non specific, then more difficult to know when attained.
Jane Chin Aug 09, 2008 10:51PM in one of my talks i said "if you don't know what you mean by happiness, you wouldn't recognize it if it came up and slapped you in the face
DebInAustin says Aug 09, 2008 10:51PM I heard Eleanor Gilchrist, a Southern author, once say, "My momma said, 'Ellen of course you can have everything, you just need to decide
patricksweeney says Aug 09, 2008 10:52PM i am 28, married for 5 years, have two amazing sons, 5 and 3, and i still don't think i know the true meaning of happiness
Jane Chin Aug 09, 2008 10:52PM (and i'm saying this from personal experience of "the existential struggle"!)
DebInAustin says Aug 09, 2008 10:52PM just how much of each one thing you can stand to have.'" I thought that was brilliant.
patricksweeney says Aug 09, 2008 10:53PM i would say i am a happy guy, but i wouldnt say im content........yet at least
Jane Chin Aug 09, 2008 10:53PM patricksweeney do you think you can enjoy life anyway, even as you still work on the true meaning (if you are interested in it at all)
DebInAustin says Aug 09, 2008 10:52PM when I ran my last race if Vail, I thought to myself, upon reaching the summit, that this was true happiness- having the ability to run that
DebInAustin says Aug 09, 2008 10:54PM far, reaching a remote place, and the stellar scenery. I thought, "it's a privilege to be able to do this."
Jane Chin Aug 09, 2008 10:54PM patricksweeney i'm surprised! for me, 'happiness is ephemeral, contentment lasts forever'
Jane Chin Aug 09, 2008 10:55PM (as i reference something i wrote in 2001) www.rateofattrition.com/2001/2001,10,15,contentment,forever.html
patricksweeney says Aug 09, 2008 10:55PM JaneChin, yes definitely, i don't enjoy how i have handled myself up to this point in a lot of ways, but i love being....
patricksweeney says Aug 09, 2008 10:56PM id actually rather not be able to say im truly happy, because i would get lazy then
DebInAustin says Aug 09, 2008 10:56PM Jane, definitely, I was beyond thrilled. On my way back I plurked, "I ran at the top of the world today."
patricksweeney thinks Aug 09, 2008 11:01PM at least for him it does lead to complacency......not being where i want to be makes me work harder for it
patricksweeney says Aug 09, 2008 11:02PM my 3 year old has the right idea, he is a little genius, and we were fishing the other day
patricksweeney says Aug 09, 2008 11:03PM and he could see i had a lot on my mind, he puts his arm around me and says "dad, i know you have a lot of adult stuff"
Jane Chin Aug 09, 2008 11:02PM Patrick I understand; I once thought the same way (happiness = complacency) thus never allowing myself to feel happy.
patricksweeney says Aug 09, 2008 11:04PM my wife rags on me foor that JaneChin, she says i dont stop to smell the roses heh
Jane Chin Aug 09, 2008 11:04PM but now I believe that complacency = satisfaction at the ego-self level whereas happiness = peace with self and the world
Jane Chin Aug 09, 2008 11:04PM (ok i need to go to costco with hubby to get bb formula bbl to catch up on this thread) I love what I've read from you both so far!
DebInAustin says Aug 09, 2008 11:18PM Jane I would say I am always happy when I am in nature and feel at peace. I grew up in a rural place. And while I think I have adjusted to
DebInAustin says Aug 09, 2008 11:17PM city noises, every time I go backpacking I realize that a lot of tension disappears and I usually don't want to come back to Denver.
Jane Chin Aug 10, 2008 01:55AM DebInDenver I understand. My husband loves the outdoors and appreciates nature. I'm very much an indoors person but do appreciate as well.
affiliatecoffee says Aug 10, 2008 04:48AM happiness - as much of a simple word it may be - yet the hardest to define. everyone has their own unique definition of happiness.
affiliatecoffee says Aug 10, 2008 04:50AM for some materialistic things provide happiness, some feel the need to grow spiritually.
affiliatecoffee says Aug 10, 2008 04:54AM may be by some self introspection, we will be able to find what truly makes our life complete, and gives us "happiness"
DaisyΜ∞n says Aug 10, 2008 11:46AM Happiness - the feeling I have every morning when I wake up to the life I have been blessed with. No matter how the trials and tribulations
DaisyΜ∞n says Aug 10, 2008 11:49AM fight against us, no matter how the *sunshine & rainbows* lift us up; it's the feeling in every moment that __I have this moment__
DSN has Aug 10, 2008 04:23PM yet to define happiness for himself. knows $ won't buy happiness, however, $ is required to by freedom from idiots...
Jane Chin Aug 10, 2008 07:13PM DevSpamNull actually, scientific studies have shown that a certain amt of $ is required for happiness (i.e. survival may be needed first)
Jane Chin Aug 10, 2008 08:08PM DavidBridger thank you! Most of us fail to appreciate the power of "every day is simply OK". we think we should want more and have more.
ethnicomm says Aug 13, 2008 10:42PM happiness - you are in control of your own happiness - others cannot make you unhappy - it's when your expectations are not met that you are
LivSimpl.com Aug 13, 2008 11:31PM Happiness is having my 1 yr old son squeal happily, clap, and run up to me when I walk in the door after work.
kingz jewel Aug 14, 2008 02:31AM there is a difference between happiness and joy. JOY is perpetual while happiness is circumstantial.
ThoughtWrong is Aug 14, 2008 03:13AM happy, The only thing that would make my life more complete is if I had all my bills paid and money woes were no more
johnlarkin feels Aug 16, 2008 02:03PM happiness is mindfulness; when the past, present and future are as one; dying is not an issue; one is in the present; possessions irrelevant
Jane Chin Aug 16, 2008 02:15PM johnlarkin you said it well. For me, dying will be an issue of physical reality, but I'd fear it less.
Jane Chin Aug 16, 2008 02:17PM (by the way nice to see you on plurk! and thank you for your very nice email)