2006-12-11 17:00:11 · 16 answers · asked by chuck 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Happiness is an attitude, a state of mind, level of consciousness and degree of acceptance.
I have known people who wouldn't permit themselves to say they were happy. Happiness need not depend on outer conditions.
"I realized that things did not have to go right for me to be happy.
And people did not have to behave for me to love them."
We can set up an internal state of being that recognizes the external happenings as events that we interact with.
We can exert control over some of the events.
"have the patience to accept the things we cannot change.
The courage to change those things we can, and, the wisdom to know the difference."
Our lives are partially the result of heredity, but mostly the result of our decisions.
We choose to exercise and eat a balanced diet or not.
We choose to have a strong social support network or not.
We choose to be happy
2006-12-11 17:05:59 · answer #1 · answered by iamwhoiam 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Great question. It is both. Even if it was a gift from a higher power we must make a choice to accept it. There is hapiness that we can choose to instil into our conscious by the material we read the decisions we make and their consiquences. There is also hapiness that is out of our control like when someone walks past and chucks a smile at you or some random person does something unexpectedly nice for you. We still have the choice to notice the person smiling at you or to accept someone doing somthing nice for you as a form of happiness though. So It is a choice to accept the happiness that the universe so freely gives out. Kind of like the glass half empty half full theory. Perception is reality
2006-12-11 17:27:44 · answer #2 · answered by TRTH-HNTR 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Though I might not believe in a higher power (and the boat's still out on that one), I certainly consider my life to have a higher purpose; especially now that I've got a child. My art gives me a purpose; my family gives me a purpose; the sea gives me a porpoise; sun-shiny April days with temps in the mid 60's and nothing but a chapter on Shakespeare to read for school gives me happiness.
2016-05-23 07:52:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is a choice. A choice is a thought.
And the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first thought.
And thoughts direct our feelings, and so if we think right we get happiness.
But you'res is a good question, cause the one who put us here can direct our thoughts.
I personally believe we can decide who we are for, and which road we're on.
2006-12-11 17:09:41 · answer #4 · answered by smoothsoullady 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Both. I think the gift from God is that He made us able to choose happiness!
2006-12-11 17:07:25 · answer #5 · answered by Heron By The Sea 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a choice we make when we are conscious of a higher power that loves us and has a purpose for us, and has provided us guidance to get back to Him.
2006-12-11 17:02:34 · answer #6 · answered by Rainfog 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Choice. But sometimes if you are not careful that happiness would actually cause your sadness and depression. Be careful then to what you are wishing.
2006-12-11 17:04:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
GALATIANS 5:16-26 TELL US: (16) SO I TELL YOU: LIVE BY FOLLOWING THE SPIRIT. THEN YOU WILL NOT DO WHAT YOUR SINFUL SELVES WANT. (17) OUR SINFUL SELVES WANT WHAT IS AGAINST OUR SINFUL SELVES. THE TWO ARE AGAINST EACH OTHER, SO YOU CANNOT DO JUST WHAT YOU PLEASE. (18) BUT IF THE SPIRIT IS LEADING YOU, YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW. (19) THE WRONG THINGS THE SINFUL SELF DOES ARE CLEAR: BEING SEXUALLY UNFAITHFUL, NOT BEING PURE, TAKING PART IN SEXUAL SINS, (20) WORSHIPING GODS, DOING WITCHCRAFT, HATING, MAKING TROUBLE, BEING JEALOUS, BEING ANGRY WITH EACH OTHER, CAUSING DIVISIONS AMONG PEOPLE, (21) FEELING ENVY, BEING DRUNK, HAVING WILD AND WASTEFUL PARTIES, AND DOING OTHER THINGS LIKE THESE. I WARN YOU NOW AS I WARN YOU BEFORE: THOSE WHO DO THESE THINGS WILL NOT INHERIT GOD'S KINGDOM. (22) BUT THE SPIRIT PRODUCES THE FRUIT OF LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, (23) GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL. THERE IS NO LAW THAT SAYS THESE THINGS ARE WRONG. (24 ) THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST JESUS HAVE CRUCIFIED THEIR OWN SINFUL SELVES. THEY HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR OLD SELFISH FEELINGS AND THE EVIL THINGS THEY WANT TO DO. (25) WE GET OUR NEW LIFE FROM THE SPIRIT, SO WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE SPIRIT. (26) WE MUST NOT BE PROUD OR MAKE TROUBLE WITH EACH OTHER OR BE JEALOUS OF EACH OTHER.
2006-12-11 17:24:33 · answer #8 · answered by candy_girl 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Happiness is the result of mental thoughts.
2006-12-11 17:07:35 · answer #9 · answered by thinkpose 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both, it's a gift but to understand it we also have sadness. In the end it's our own attitude that that dictates how we feel.
2006-12-11 17:02:32 · answer #10 · answered by Coool 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋