What is Happiness?steemCreated with Sketch.

in life •  8 years ago  (edited)

emerald bay helicopter view.jpg

Happiness is very elusive.

It's a different thing than money.
What makes each of us happy, over time, will change over time.

Money is like air. You need enough to breath.


Happiness will not come from having money, unless you have spent a great deal of time, knowing how to spend it in ways that make the people in your life happy.

So if you don’t have people in your life, then money won’t make you happy. I personally find spending money on myself becomes boring very quickly..

And if the only way you can attract people into your life, is to show them money, you won’t be happy.

On the other hand, “There ain’t no Romance without Finance” ;-)

So Happiness in this way, can be very elusive, and it must be our primary goal in order to achieve it.

I have always felt, there would be no way I could truly devote myself to a career, unless I was finding happiness in it.

And my personal relationships; I could no longer pursue, if they do not make me happy.

Making new friends, makes me happy. Meeting new people that I admire, I can talk to, understand me, and enjoy my company.


(HINT: open this image in a new tab, and be amazed at the sight of Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe, CA!)

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Very true. No money necessary if you don't have friends to spend it on. Just for sustaining life and past that luxuries. Creating and sustaining loving friendships is what really matters. Best wishes surfyogi. 🐓🐓

I like this very much; I will quote you:

"Creating and sustaining loving friendships is what really matters."

Happiness emerges naturally, it is an innate quality rather than something gained from outside forms and events. It tends to emerge when we have less on our minds, when we quiet down.

Nice, I agree.

learning from life is the best way to find happiness, always make people around you to smile, you will also feel a little happiness when you see others smile.

Or make them LAUGH!
;-)

Thanks @surfyogi! Really interesting article. This is what I also realised in life. You need enough money to live without complications, and pay the daily bills, but happiness cannot purchased. Even if someone purchase (as we seen with some of the local celebrities), then it is only a virtual happiness with more problems inside. You cannot cheat the Karma. If someone choose this easier way then karma will eat from inside. As everything in life we need to find the right balance between jin and jang. But I think I don't need to describe this to you!

Right, money is part of the journey, but like fuel. You need to relax and enjoy. Your fuel will bring you somewhere.

Thanks, great comment. I agree completely.
I noticed I've commented on your blog before; but never followed you. You have a really nice blog.
And a new follower.

Thank you.

It's sad how western civilization puts such an emphasis on money/net worth. I think your own health (your body is your temple) correlates with happiness. I've seen some rich people with health issues miserable, and some humble people content with little (but are healthy) by western standards.

yes, in some ways I just take my health for granted.

I've been working on my diet and fitness for so many years.. it's become second nature too, even if I'm not always successful, I think about it every day.

My experience: happy people are most likely to live in a clean home, exercise daily, eat healthy food and don't smoke.

Money may not buy happiness, but it can sure make you unhappy to be without.

What is Happiness? It’s a question I asked myself many times! It's so true, happiness is very elusive! I think that happiness is contagious. I try to be around happy people to be happy.

I LIKE THAT VERY MUCH, I will quote you:

"I try to be around happy people to be happy."

I love it - Money is like air, you need enough to breathe. Awesome stuff. It's scary, but true. Most people spend way too much chasing money and ignoring health and relationships. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I like this, I will quote you:

"Most people spend way too much chasing money and ignoring health and relationships."

We could all write long essays about what this means in our lives.

Yes!! Oh man, could we ever? I'm sure we all know some people who are monetarily rich, but poor in every other regard. It's so sad!!

It's true ... I agree With you @surfyogi ... Happiness will not come from having money ... if you don’t have people in your life, then money won’t make you happy.

I saw that you have looked at my post if money is able to help you buy happiness so you probably know my stand point on this.

I agree that it is like breathing... there is only so much money you can have to satisfy you and there have been studies where happiness starts to dimish of flatline when people reach a certain amount of money.

I think that for acquiring happiness money is good at stimulating this for when you need essentials as well as give you temporary short lived happiness such as going on a holiday.

To be happy it think requires a state of no anxiety and removal of worry which the ultimate happiness as is required to achieve ultimate happiness. Rather than looking towards materialistic things to better ourselves look to be more self-sacrificing and meek and I think this definitely will help to build relationships.

Finally, Emerald Bay is so beautiful. It is amazing just staring at it and looking at that serene blue translucent water @surfyogi! :)

Great comment. yes, Emerald Bay does make me happy, especially this shot of it, from far above on the mountain, above the hyway, a view most will never see..

Happiness is walking along the beach and saying “thank you” for the birds, the trees, the ocean, the sand, the children making sand castles and the people running by as I continue on a nice stroll. Happiness is being grateful for everything around me and all that is in me.

I strongly agree with your opinion my friend, happiness someone can not be bought with money. we do need money, but happiness does not come from money, but from people around us, who always give attention and support in living life. stay steadfast and always smile.

I am sure you now have everything, you have money, you have a family and you have a good job. the happiest happiness is when you can make your family happy. and money is not everything. keep your family happy. because it is your happiness.

"The good lord saw to it, I always had money in my pocket" - Charles Mingus

I have had a very fortunate life, but I had to work very hard for it.

  • My parents only gave me what I needed, no more.
  • My accomplishments were my own; nobody handed them to me
  • Sometimes people took advantage of me for my money
  • I learned to admire and talk with people that understood how to enjoy life and had fun doing so

I am sure you now have everything, you have money, you have a family and you have a good job. the happiest happiness is when you can make your family happy. and money is not everything. keep your family happy. because it is your happiness.

different things that you will feel, when you go to work, full of calm and good heart. attentive and family support. whatever you do will be different.

so they do not give wealth, but they always give happiness. because wealth and money can still be sought, but money and wealth can not buy happiness.

Sometimes I tend to have everything but I'm not happy , I feel like our definition of happiness requires to much of "needs and wants"

I used to think money was happiness , but after I had money , I still was not happy . Now I have a baby boy that I was blessed with 6 days ago, little things like this make me happy

  ·  8 years ago (edited)

Yes, I seem to lose all love of living if I lose the challenge of life.
That's a tricky thing to master!

Same thing with raising children that are too affluent and don't appreciate their advantages.

Happy Baby!

I think the road to happiness is paving our own destiny, not buying it. In a world of consumption, buying things has become too easy, there's no more waiting time, no more desire. Instant gratification, then what? Without challenges, the spirit loses its sense of purpose.

Plant a garden, watch the vegetables grow, care for them, harvest them, eat them. Enjoying the best taste and getting a satisfaction that we accomplished something to feed ourselves, while acknowledging the Sun pouring its energy in our existence. That's happiness.

I planted Heirloom tomatoes a few years ago. I had so many, I could not eat them all ;-)
But it was fun to try..

I did too, a couple years ago, the taste was incredible! I slap myself for being lazy sometimes. Next year I'll replant a vegetable garden for sure.

Scrolling through my feed and seeing a picture of emeral bay made me momentarily happy. Tahoe is one of the few things I miss about California.

Sometimes happiness is in the little things, even a picture, whether of a place or people, it can take you in a moment to a happy place.

  ·  8 years ago (edited)

I'm in Tahoe right now, and I'M HAPPY!
Who sez money can't make you happy, just live in Lake Tahoe ;-)

"if you want to breath the air that angels breath, go to Lake Tahoe"

I just saw you put up another post about diving Cozumel. Are you going to dive Tahoe? My brother used to dive Tahoe a fair amount and I think one place he mentioned was D.L. Bliss State Park, which I think has a shallower sandy area you go out across, and then it's like a cliff, straight down. That could make you happier ;)

I just went to Bliss Park 3 days ago, and did snorkel around... it's much colder than Cozumel but by August it was warmer than usual and very clear. Of course there are no tropical fish, and no blazing colorful coral of every color, but you will mostly see that in Cozumel in deeper waters.

I was recently asked if I'm really happy? But how can I show to someone that the state of real happiness is very similar to the deepest sadness?

The Old Guy philosophizes on how to be happier lol. This really helps me. Its all about expectations.

I think being appreciative is a key to happiness!

@surfyogi you are very correct about your discription of happiness.

Also from the image you have shown us, happiness to me is not about having money but also about connecting with nature. 👍👍

A small post, but it makes so much sense!
Makes me think.
Happiness ... everyone has his own and all have one! Health, peace, love, friendship ...

Beautiful picture...up voted and followed and resteemed....please kindly check out my posts too

  ·  8 years ago (edited)

I like one quote on happiness I'd like to share with you!
Charles Spurgeon

It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.

I asked it every single night before going to bed that was I happy today, and every single day its different this that contributes to happiness .

Like some day, travelling on my bike contributes to my happiness whereas sometimes love for photography or when I have clicked an awesome photo contributes to my happiness.

Bdw the paycheck and the end of the month also contibutes to the happiness.

The lack of money bothers us, the excess hampers us. Money is a tool of comfort, not a measure of success. Propagating good and generosity leaves us at peace with ourselves and, of course, makes our lives lighter and more pleasant. Here, at this point of the theme, we see that yes, money brings happiness.

  ·  8 years ago (edited)

I disagree with people saying money doesn't bring happiness, it all depends on how you use it. Probably a majority would spend it on things they don't need and fall in the consumerism behaviour, yes, that doesn't bring happiness. But it gives financial freedom and you can do a lot of great things with it to shape the world for the better...

(P.S. almost forgot to mention, but that place looks stunning!!)

One of the FEW places on Earth, where Money Does Bring Happiness ;-)

Some people will do anything to live here. Work at a job they don't really like, just to ski every weekend... summer and winter sports paradise.

  ·  8 years ago (edited)

Sacrifice and reward I suppose. A lot of people work their asses off to go on a vacation for a couple of weeks a year. Not my thing though... Rather invest me some crypto's hehe ;)

Awesome photo ! Happiness is not acquired, it does not reside in appearances, each one of us builds it at every moment of his life with his heart.

Happiness is something which make you believe that money is not everything....
short yet meaningful.....

Happiness is one thing that makes you feel that money is not everything......

me too

Sometimes trying to find happiness can be a struggle. Often times we search for it in all the wrong places or ways, when the answer is much simpler- God. "Happy are the people whose God is the Lord" Psalm 144:15.

What is happiness? It's a state of being!

They say happiness is not any destination, it is the journey. So we should always enjoy day to day, money is just a supporting factor for happiness but not necessary. You will find many slum area people happier than those living in the big palaces. It is all about our perspective towards life.

My Swedish twin brother friends, said same thing. They visited India, and they said the poor kids they met in the streets were the happiest people they ever met ;-)
Wow, I'm doing it wrong!

Wow I am happy they find it in India.

Spirit of Happiness.jpg