On the Right Side of Happiness

05/31/2011

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Happy: At state of well-being and contentment; pleasurable satisfaction

I often wonder how many of us truly know what it means to be happy. In this superficial world we live in we associate happiness with houses, cars, clothes and other items that can be bought in a store. Some people spend their entire lives working to achieve things. Then, when they get them they still aren’t happy---at least not long term. You want to know why? It has been proven through research that things only bring temporary happiness.  That euphoric feeling you have after purchasing that fast car, those new red bottom shoes or 60 inch flat screen TV eventually fades after you get used to having them. In his book, “Happy: Simple Steps to Getting the Most Out of Life,” Dr. Ian Smith shares what brings true happiness. It includes:
  • Family, friends and social companionship
  • Helping others
  • Appreciating what you have and not feeling wistful about what you don’t have
  • Pursuing a passion
  • Taking pride in one’s work
  • Forgiving someone for an offense and moving on
  • Not trying to keep up with the Jones
You didn’t see Gucci, Louie, Prada or Christian Louboutin on that list anywhere did you? Of course being financially stable can contribute to your happiness but a millionaire will tell you that his money would mean nothing without the people who mean the most to him or her to share it with. Think about it this way. What if I gave you an unlimited amount of money to throw yourself a birthday party? It’s everything you ever dreamed except for one problem. No one showed up to help you celebrate. The expensive venue with the decorations you had done by the best event planner in the country, who spared no expense on everything you asked for, really wouldn’t matter would it?  There’s no one to hug you and tell you happy birthday. There are no people there to toast to the day you were born. There’s no one to tell you how fly you look in your designer outfit. There is no one to get your boogie on with on the dance floor. And there’s no one to sing you happy birthday before you blow out the candles on your huge, overpriced cake. You got everything you wanted, but I’m sure you would deem your party a flop. You would probably leave feeling unwanted and unloved. Am I right?

I’ll trade temporary happiness for a lifetime of happiness any day. So each day I’m working to achieve the things on that list--what really matters. So I can stay on the right side of happiness.  

Find more blogs by Jae Henderson at My Side of the Single Life, http://imagoodwoman2.blogspot.com. You can also purchase my book, Someday here, http://www.amazon.com/shops/jaehenderson.

 


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