Thread: What is Happiness?

I came across an insight recently and would like to get your opinion. I believe that everyone is seeking happiness in life. However, people pursue this in different ways. Most people (where I live anyway) seek material possessions etc. People believe this will create happiness. But, I find that this only creates momentary happiness. Example: buying a new car is great for a while but you soon lose the initial bliss and realize the consequences (i.e. maintenance, gas cost, etc.). I think that people have the wrong idea about happiness. I think what it really is is content. If you are content with what you have, then you do not feel longing for something more or feel like your life is "missing" something. Happiness is being okay with what you have and finding meaning in the little things.

I think this kind of thinking can be achieved by eliminating material possessions. Excesses of TV, electronics, etc. can distract you from "true happiness." This is difficult because many people are raised in the opposite manner. I find myself in the minority in this kind of thinking. I hope this post is somewhat insightful. Be content with what you have!

Except people are not automatons who have a single set of desires and, once they've fulfilled them, are content and don't want anything else. People's values and goals change over time, creating new wants and needs which they will pursue. For most things in life, the only kind of happiness is momentary happiness. It's very rare that you have a desire that can be filled by doing or acquiring a single thing.

Eliminating material possessions sounds like an awful idea. Whatever "true happiness" is probably varies from person to person.

I recently read that the kind of shallow happiness that most of us seek/enjoy is the flip side of unhappiness, and is inevitably followed by it. The author suggested that we need to get outside of that mindset altogether of seeking happiness and rejecting unhappiness, and become observers of what is and accept what is, that leads to a peace that is longer lasting than the rollercoaster of happiness/unhappiness.