Really Knowing Yourself, the key to Happiness?

Question

This is just a "throw it out there" question. Do you think really knowing yourself, is the key to personal fulfillment or do you think even though you may know what you need and want, and yet can't find it, it can frustrate your life.

Just gathering info. Thanks.

Answer 1

Ok, this is the third question of yours I've answered, but I clicked on your name after you picked my answer as 'best answer' (which I appreciate btw) and I saw it and I wanted to throw my two cents in even if it's a little late lol.

I had scanned at the answers above and I don't think I have quite as much to offer as any of them, but I do have something of an opinion that's under construction (like most any opinion as they're in a constant state of evolution). I don't think we have to know every inch of ourselves to be happy. We can find all the things we want and need in life without quite understanding why it is that we want and need these things. For instance I met a guy the other day that I thought had an amazingly interesting and appealing face. Now he didn't look a thing like anyone you'd see in an preppy clothing magazine so I couldn't just assume the reason I was so attracted to him being because he is the 'mainstream beautiful' type of guy, even though that's rarely my thing, so I was left having no clue what it was about him that I found so appealing. Sometimes things just truely catch my eye and don't let go (and I don't just mean my literal eye, but also my eye as in 'interest' that has nothing to do with sight). I don't think that walking the path of a happy life and understanding how or why we're walking it have anything to do with one another. It's true, we always have those nagging voices in the back of our head wondering why this is and how that is, but it doesn't stop us from enjoying what it is we enjoy. So while I, like many others, am guilty of picking apart things trying ot figure out why or how things are the way they are for me, it doesn't change the fact that the way things are the way they are.

Answer 2

Well, yes getting to know yourself deeply is very vital to loving yourself. You must love yourself first in order to love and understand people around you. If u know yourself well, you will make better choices and give up ones that don't work without a fight...Knowing what is important in life ...If you always want want ..then you won't be happy. what makes u happy is really just simple things. Our world is too materilistic and if you grew up getting things all the time and taught that's what is important then that's what you will become. It's all in how u were raised. The priciples you grew up with. happiness is something that you perceive as happiness..so it all depends...learned behaviors can be changed if u are the type of person who are aware of what's happenig around you and always trying to change who you are and that's when you grow. it all depends on how u think also.

Needing and wanting are two different things...We need clothes, we need love, we need food..but we don't have to want a nice car or expensive clothes or a big expensive house right?

So it's all about educating yourself to find answers for you.

Answer 3

I think really knowing yourself is a part of happiness. Its important but no more so than other things in life that contribute to happiness. Things like, the person you love, family, friends, your career, doing things you enjoy. All important but one on its own will not bring true happiness. I think knowing yourself gives you confidence: Youre not swayed by what other people do or say, you do your own thing no matter what......but at the same time your open to new experiences. Bit of a paradox really.

Answer 4

Knowing yourself can make life easier because if you truly know yourself, you understand others better... but that rarely brings real or lasting happiness.

In my experience, the key to happiness resides in Wanting what you Have. We spend so much of our thought and time pursuing what we want that we forget to appreciate what we have right now. That appreciation can redefine priorities in a whole new way while giving a greater sense of satisfaction with what IS.

Answer 5

I believe that knowing yourself is a key to personal happiness. When you know yourself, you are able to make good choices. I also believe that personal faith has a lot to add to one's happiness.

Great question!

Answer 6

In order to be happy you must first like yourself. In order to like yourself you have to know yourself.