I wonder how many people search Google their questions about happiness everyday. Can you truly be happy in 2018? I mean whoever is Googling How to be happy needs to look at pictures of Puppies, that makes me happy.
I think it’s fair to say that happiness is a complex subject. ‘But money makes me happy’ well, does it actually?
This is on google as ‘Impossibly cute puppy’
I recently read a fantastic book on Happiness and that will be aid in answering this question.
The Short Answer
The short Answer to happiness is different for everyone, I mean you kinda should have expected that answer but controlling your own thoughts and emotions, behaviours is the key.
Money Money Money
Living in the moment
“Everything worthwhile in your life draws its meaning from the fact you will die.”
― Derren Brown, Happy: Why More or Less Everything is Absolutely Fine
So what is ‘Happiness’?
Well this bloke does a pretty good job of explaining it:
That ‘bloke’ is the chief business officer at Google, Mo Gawdat.
Happiness is not a destination; once I finish studying i’ll be happy, once I find a partner, I will be happy.
if we constantly waiting to be happy, surely we are never happy ? are we not just surviving?
Happy: Why More or Less Everything is Absolutely fine
This book is a fantastic look at Happiness and gives a very in depth analysis of this feeling or behavior. Pulling at history from Nietzsche, Socrates, Stoics and Freud tackling the big happiness question. Doing my research, Happy took three years to write and one of the most iconic (for me anyway) section was on the school of Philosophy, Stoicism. Founded in the third century (before that Jesus guy was born) The name comes from the Stoa Poikile in Athens, a public square where they met) cites that its not money, success or fame that makes people truly happy. But a sound mental state.
Controlling how we ‘feel’ or our own emotions and judgement, is actually the only thing we have control over.
Stuff we cannot control:
Other peoples thoughts, behaviours or whether that guy opens the door for you to the coffee shop that you are currently writing this blog from, damn you guy.
everything else.
The question therefore is not how do we become happy, it is how will perceive happiness today. perception is key to happiness, and if you really think about it. you knew that anyway
