To me happiness means being content enough to not have any stressors or worries bother you to the point where you are simply in the moment and not worrying about other responsibilities. In my life, this happiness is seen when I am spending time with my friends, doing activities that I find fun, petting a dog, feeling like I am succeeding and moving towards a goal, and getting good grades. Spending time with my friends allows me to be happy because we laugh and enjoy each other’s company, talk about things we enjoy, and it provides time spent socializing and interacting with others while also providing some exercise to release dopamine if we take a trip to the beach, go for a hike, or go to an amusement park or a local park. When I am with them I am not worried about bills and work or school. I am simply in the moment spending time with people who I love and who love me and enjoying each other’s company. As well, our mirror neurons allow us to experience joy based on each other’s enjoyment creating even more happiness. Doing activities I enjoy also brings me happiness because they help me to relax or experience feelings of euphoria. For example watching a great movie or seeing an exciting sporting event can let me experience the same feelings as the athlete or actor. Animals also help me to relax and so I enjoy playing with dogs that have a natural calmness and you can just sit and pet them and let the day go by. Lastly, I find it to be a good feeling that brings about happiness when I feel productive and therefore succeeding in school and moving towards goals helps me to feel feelings of joy that bring about happiness.
In comparing my happiness to others that I talked to today, there happiness was focused on being satisfied with their life and who they are, as well as having family that cared for them. On similar note, I agree that I experience joy from being satisfied with my life and myself but to experience this satisfaction I need to feel proud of myself and what I have accomplished and enjoy what I do or have done. Also, I also receive joy from socializing but for me my best socialization comes from being around my friends and the activities which come from that; however for others it seems that their most enjoyable satisfaction comes from their family.
In comparing my happiness with the textbook from chapters one and two, in chapter one Peterson states that some view life as tragic and humans are negative creatures and being positive is in essence being foolish (2006). Though I do not fully agree with the statement I do find myself at times believing that sometimes life is just a tragic experience, we live and have our hearts broken, lose friends and loved ones, and in the end no matter what die. It can be easy to look on the bad side of things and ignore the good in the world and in my battle for happiness it is a problem I face. I also do know they’re are very good people however in this world who care for humanity and that points to humans being good and looking at the world in a positive way and looking for happiness. In chapter two Peterson also states that acts of kindness and altruism and smiling can bring about happiness (2006). Though I agree with this and it can be great to help others and tell others how you feel in today’s world it is becoming more and more difficult to do so with so many responsibilities and the Industrial worlds rush to make us into consumers and buy objects. In essence to be happy one has to go against society’s demands of buying material items and be happy with who they are and it is hard to do that but for me, and my happiness I try to gain it from my friends rather than material things and when I can get it from acts of kindness or other positive acts that is simply a bonus.
References
Peterson, C. (2006). A Primer in Positive Psychology. New York, NY, US: Oxford University Press.
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andrews Christpherson's Happiness Blog 