what is happieness?

Answer 1

A warm puppy.

Answer 2

Happiness is not a constant. Some days are good others are not so good. Happiness is defined by me as using my head and heart to make a list of all the good things and good people in my life, i.e., a roof over my head--many people right this minute don't! I am thankful for food--I'm not standing in some line in a 3rd world countyr, etc, etc. Count your blessings every day--you will be surprised how much this will help you. Good luck and blessings to you!

Answer 3

something that makes you smile... and finding new things to smile about each day no matter life's circumstances. I also agree with the above answer. Happiness at times can be a decision you have to make.

Answer 4

For me, being happy is wanting to wake up early every morning, and go to bed late every night, so that I don't miss even ONE minute of my life!

Answer 5

it's light. you expand your vessel or capacity for happiness via the desire to receive for the sake of sharing. in other words you want good things to come to you , but not stop there... to come through you and be available to share with others.

unhappiness ironically enough is having all you want for yourself...more than enough... and no way to communicate it or share it with others. so happiness depends on this circuitry or flow where the good things come to you and through you to others, not stopping at you.

Answer 6

is when you can sit back for a moment and feel positive about what you have done, and feel even better about what you are going to do...but most importantly,feeling good about the moment your in...

Happiness is a choice.

Answer 7

Happiness is a decision...a journey not a destination.

Answer 8

When you like waking up in the morning.

Answer 9

when you are happy and content with your life..

Answer 10

Happiness is an emotional or affective state that feels good or pleasing. Overlapping states or experiences associated with happiness include wellbeing, joy, sexual pleasure, delight, health, safety, contentment, and love, while contrasting ones include suffering, sadness, grief, anxiety, and pain. Happiness is often correlated to the presence of favorable events (such as a promotion, a marriage, lottery winnings, etc.) and the absence of troubles or bad luck (such as accidents, getting fired, divorce, conflicts, etc.).

Societies, religions, and individuals have various views on the nature of happiness and how to pursue it.

Societal theories of happiness:
In modern western society, it is widely believed that happiness is attained through being successful, healthy, and having a beautiful family; creating monetary wealth; being physically attractive even through old age; and maintaining one's intelligence and wit. Some of these are not supported by empirical evidence; for example, money does not appear to increase happiness, and having children does not on average increase or decrease happiness. Health, however, has a strong impact on happiness. As well, a portion of the population believes that happiness is achieved by following the latest cultural fads, such as keeping one's clothes in fashion or keeping them in fashion as much as humanly possible, going to the latest clubs, restaurants or bars, buying consumer products seen as trendy or cool, or changing a hair style so that it is current. However, most people disagree with these preceding ideals because they consider them too superficial, consumerist and unsatisfying.

Psychological view:
Martin Seligman in his book Authentic Happiness gives the positive psychology definition of happiness as consisting of both positive emotions (like comfort) and positive activities (like absorption). He presents three categories of positive emotions:

-past: feelings of satisfaction, contentment, pride, and serenity.
-present (examples): enjoying the taste of food, glee at listening to music, absorption in reading, and company of people you like e.g. friends and family.
-future: feelings of optimism, hope, trust, faith, and confidence.
There are three categories of present positive emotions:
-bodily pleasures, e.g. feeling the nirvana of sex.
-higher pleasures, e.g. absorbing oneself in activities all-altruistic.
-gratifications, e.g. absorption in reading.
The bodily and higher pleasures are "pleasures of the moment" and usually involve some external stimulus. An exception is the glee felt at having an original thought.

Mechanistic view:
Biological basis
While a person's overall happiness is not objectively measurable, this does not mean it does not have a real physiological component. The neurotransmitter dopamine, perhaps especially in the mesolimbic pathway projecting from the midbrain to structures such as the nucleus accumbens, is involved in desire and seems often related to pleasure. Pleasure can be induced artificially with drugs, perhaps most directly with opiates such as morphine, with activity on mu-opioid receptors. There are neural opioid systems that make and release the brain's own opioids, active at these receptors. Mu-opioid neural systems are complexly interrelated with the mesolimbic dopamine system. New science, using genetically altered mice, including ones deficient in dopamine or in mu-opioid receptors, is beginning to tease apart the functions of dopamine and mu-opioid systems, which some scientists (e.g., Kent C. Berridge) think are more directly related to happiness. Stefan Klein in his book "The Science of Happiness" links these biological foundations of happiness to the concepts and findings of Positive Psychology and Social Psychology.

For non-human animals, happiness might be best described as the process of reinforcement, as part of the organism's motivational system. The organism has achieved one or more of its goals (pursuit of food, water, sex, shelter, etc.), and its brain is in the process of teaching itself to repeat the sort of actions that led to success. By reinforcing successful decision paths, it produces an equilibrium state not unlike positive-to-negative magnets. The specific goals are typically things that enable the organism to survive and reproduce. By this definition, only animals with some capacity to learn should be able to experience happiness.

Mystical (spiritual, mythological and religious) view:
Explanation of happiness in mystical traditions, especially in advanced spiritual techniques is related to full balance of so called inner energy lines. In balanced state two main lines (left & right, Ida & Pingala) form third line, called Shushumna or lashon hakodesh (hebr.). Speaking technically, (full) activity of this third or central line is happiness. Left and right lines include all aspects of normal human life: sleep and awake, body and mind, physical and spiritual and so on. To attain balanced state of these 2 lines is a main task of life - a paradoxical result of all kinds of activities and endeavours combined with full relax or tranquillity at the same time.

In Christianity and some other religions, the ultimate end of human existence conists in felicity or "blessed happiness", as a Beatific Vision of God's essence in the next life.

Personal happiness forms the centerpiece of Buddhist teachings and the Eightfold Path that will lead its practitioner to Nirvana, a state of everlasting happiness.

Happiness in practice:
The good life comes from using signature strengths to obtain abundant gratification in, for example, enjoying work and pursuing a meaningful life. Gratifications involve full engagement, flow, elimination of self-consciousness, and blocking of felt emotions. But when a gratification comes to an end then positive emotions will be felt. Gratifications can be obtained or increased by developing signature strengths and virtues. Authenticity is the derivation of gratification and positive emotions from exercising signature strengths.
American Buddhist monk Thanissaro Bhikkhu gave a guided meditation: “Close your eyes and think thoughts of good will. Thoughts of good will go first to yourself, because if you can't think good will for yourself — if you can't feel a sincere desire for your own happiness — there's no way you can truly wish for the happiness of others. So just tell yourself, "May I find true happiness." Remind yourself that true happiness is something that comes from within, so this is not a selfish desire. In fact, if you find and develop the resources for happiness within you, you're able to radiate it out to other people. It's a happiness that doesn't depend on taking anything away from anyone else.”