What does it take for one to be happy?

Question

Would you say you're happy or contented? Is there a difference between the two?

Answer 1

I'd say they are the same.

For me, happiness is having 'enough' (I'm content) to get through life the way I think my life should be spent. Some days I'm on a fishing/crabbing trip with friends, and some days I'm tending to my stock portfolio via the Internet. And some days I'm hanging out in my backyard, grilling steaks, playing ball with my black lab and laughing with family & friends while the radio fills the void in the background.

Some days are meant to be spent in quiet, just me on my motorcycle on an open country road with no traffic in site. Just farm after farm, housing various animal types and their unique odors, letting me know I am experiencing heaven. My life is exactly where I want it to be, its an awesome life.

Thank you for this question... I needed that.
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Answer 2

There is a difference between the two. Being content is having enough. Many associate being content with with a sense of fulfillment or repletion. Happiness is is more fleeting, events or things tend to bring about happiness. Interestingly a sense of contedness can bring about happiness. So being content and being happy are different yet related.

Answer 3

The answer to this question is going to be different for each and every person who asks it. We all perceive the world and people around us in a slightly or even hugely different way, therefor, what it takes to make each of us happy differs slightly or hugely. I am happy with having enough: enough to manage my bills without stress, enough to eat, enough to love, etc. For others, simply having anything is happiness (consider a baby with a pacifier) and yet for others, only having an over-abundance of enough is enough.

As for happy or content, I don't think they are exactly the same, yet neither can be felt without the other also being felt, so at the very least they are symbiotic.

Answer 4

Yes, happiness comes in fleeting moments, like laughter. Contentment, is a knowing that all is right in your world.

Some get contentment with knowing they have enough money to retire without worry. Contentment, is knowing you are going to Heaven when you die (I take contentment in that)..some are content when their children are all doing well.....everyone has their own idea of what contentment is. But feeling at peace when we wake up in the morning and sleeping peacefully at night,,, no turmoil, no major disruptions in your life, is certainly one we all agree on.

Answer 5

It takes real understanding of things as they truly are. For example- We are not this material body, IE; Race, color, nationality, Religion, mind, intellect, senses, job, etc. We are all eternal spirit souls, part and parcel of the Supreme Soul, also known as Krishna, Allah, Jehovah, Vishnu, etc. We never die, only this mortal body dies.
This material world is not our real home, it is called Maya (illusion) and is temporary and full of misery, only one fourth of the souls come here, and the rest are enjoying blissful eternal loving relationships with our Maker named above. Those who are intelligent, take up the process of self realization (Bhakti Yoga) which begins with the chanting of the maha mantra (the great mantra for deliverance from all suffering and illusion, and gives one real peace, happiness and reality. Then at the end of life they can return to the eternal Kingdom where there is no more birth, death, old age, or disease and be eternally happy. We can choose to take up this process and realize our true happiness otherwise people fall victim to so called temporary happiness which is sure to end. I choose real happiness that lasts forever.
For info. Go to harekrishnatemple.com Read Bhagavad Gita- As it is by Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada asitis.com you can read it on line.

Answer 6

I continuously say Merry Christmas and happy New 3 hundred and sixty 5 days and if somebody says to me happy trip journeys I in basic terms smile at them and say thank you and that i'm hoping you have an extremely Merry Christmas and happy New 3 hundred and sixty 5 days too!

Answer 7

Difficult to answer. In my opinion the major factor that makes people feel down in the mouth is that they 're always trying to improve themselves and the never get satisfied. As a result, they feel depressed, or even envious about others. And this is what makes them feel miserable. Lack of self-confidence is also an outcome of what previously mentioned. So, wouldn't it be better to block out bad thoughts and then relax?

Answer 8

Happiness is the marriage of some unhabitual ideal, however special, with some fideltiy, courage, and endurance.

It doesn't really matter whether my ideal be achieved (that would matter were I seeking contentment). What matters is that my capacity to endure, to take risks, to change things, is put at the service of a cause, and that the cause be "unhabitual," as William James said, i.e. that it be something that clearly transcends my day-to-day routines of getting myself dressed and fed.

Answer 9

Yes, there are differences. Happy, joyful, peaceful, contented and satisfied are each variations of the theme.

Some examples. The way to feel discontentment is to think about what you don't have. The way to feel dissatisfied is to think about what you can't have. The way to feel unhappy is thinking about what you can't do and what you don't have.

Our states of existence are created by the things we choose to think about.

Answer 10

Decrease your desires. I'm happy and content. I am happy since I'm content. I'm happy because I believe I'm happy.