"In the midst of winter, I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer." Albert Camus
Last Saturday I attended an international film festival at the university in the city where I live.What you can see with a four-year old child is limited, but we managed to watch two documentaries. One of them was called "Happy".
Seeing this documentary confirmed my ideas on happiness. Let me share with you some of the most important points:
-Once the basic needs are covered studies found that more money will not make people happy.
-Those who associate happiness with money and material possessions are less happy than people who associate happiness with family, friends and things they like to do.
-Forty percent of our happiness depends on our genes. People under the same circumstances will have different levels of happiness.
-Studies showed that when people help each other, there is a release of chemicals in the blood that are associated with feeling happy (endorphines, dopamine, oxytocin). On the other hand, when people compete they feel stressed.
-People feel happy when they are "in their zone", which means that they are engrossed in doing something they love to do; during this time, they let go of worries and anxiety.
-Exercising and having fun make people happy. Again, this is associated with the release of brain chemicals I mentioned above.
Happiness is not a complicated emotion to me. Being with my daughter, my husband, helping others, doing things I love, looking at the sunset, staring at the naked branches of the trees in winter, being in touch with nature are some of the many things that make me happy.
This doesn't mean that I never feel sad, anxious or worried, but I think my happiness has to do with a sense of gratitude. It has to do with embracing the present without fretting over the future...
What makes you happy?
Waking up every morning makes me happy! Just "being" also makes me happy! Sharing what I have and doing for others make me happy. The fact that I am surrounded by a loving family is also a source of contentment.
ReplyDeleteJust existing and waking up in the morning makes me happy! I agree. And I liked what you said about happiness coming from within... I confess my morning coffee helps, though (just kidding).
DeleteMy writing makes me happy. Meditation makes me happy. And ofcourse my family.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. Those are rich sources of happiness. Thanks for commenting Rachna.
DeleteThose all sound like legitimate sources of happiness, but I think it's more complicated than that. I feel that happiness rises and falls within us from deeper sources of feelings, maybe some we cannot identify.
ReplyDeleteYes, Richard, I know what you mean. It is like carrying an ocean inside the body. The tide rises and falls. But when it falls we know that at some point it is going to rise again.
DeleteJulia this is such a smile-inducing post. I agree with the connection between happiness and gratitude!! I think life is all about perspective.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me happy? People, love, smiles, connections, nature...basically the beauty all around us in life.
If I made somebody smile I accomplished something here. Thanks for the sweet comment.
DeleteWhat a lovely idea to reflect about happiness. We hear so many negative news and forget to talk about what is good and positive. For me sadness and happiness belong together. It's about feeling, really being in the moment and being aware of my being in the world.
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DeleteSo true, Angelika. They belong together. Sadness and happiness. They are both profound. They both make us feel that we are truly alive.
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