More Happiness

Almost two years ago, I started what I hoped to make into a continuous post on my blog, and that post was about what, essentially, happiness is made of.  I asked a bunch of people who I thought might have interesting answers their take on the path to happiness--what traits, activities, or mindsets make a person more predisposed to living a life of true bliss, at least for the most part!

I posted my own personal response on my blog, followed by the responses of  a few great friends, and I feel all of our answers were marvelous suggestions to the eternal puzzle of true happiness and what makes up its foundation. Here is the LINK:

Happiness

I was so appreciative of the folks who provided (incredibly wonderful) answers to my question, but, disappointingly, there were only a small few.

I am going to try to jump-start this conversation once again, because the topic is important and moving and life-changing and hey--maybe it will reveal a piece of your puzzle that's been hiding right beneath your nose all along.  We can all help each other with our own suggestions, and each of us can learn from another, as well.  Even if you don't see fit to adopt any suggestions into your own life, some little nugget may just open up another corner of your mind, because being open to new ideas and perspectives is a virtue in itself. 

Be mindful of one of my very FAVORITE quotes of all time, by Aristotle: "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

So who wants to be a guest star on the ol' blog?  I will specifically ask some people, but anyone and everyone is welcome to send me a response.  Just send whatever you'd like to add to this discussion to my email (or in a Facebook message if you so choose)!

Jstreussnig@zoho.com

And again, here is the link to my original post for background and inspiration:

Happiness

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AND HERE ARE THE FABULOUS RESPONSES! THANK YOU TO ALL PARTICIPANTS--I HOPE TO INCORPORATE YOUR WISDOM INTO MY LIFE.

"'The greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being.”

-  Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

It sounds oh-so-cliché, but the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about happiness is love.  For me, you cannot have true love or true happiness without the other.  Now, having a significant other is not the only way to experience this.  Just having someone who cares is enough.  The feeling that you matter to someone.  Love unconditionally and, in turn, unconditional happiness will follow.  This provokes the on-going question of what love means, but I digress. 

I have been searching for happiness my entire life, but I consciously put effort to the cause about 4 years ago after my father died.  I feel like I am finally starting to make progress in my life-long quest to finding the answer. 

I feel the most full and satisfied (or happy) when I have all of my shit together, for lack of better words.  Now, of course no one can ever have everything all together entirely, but you know, for the most part.  A balance is required.  Focus on every aspect of your life instead of fully devoting yourself to one little part.  When you focus on one thing and neglect the rest, the rest starts to deteriorate until nothing is left.  My life parts consist of my family, friends, relationship, dog, work, and school.  More often than not, people our age will put all of their energy into their relationship with their significant other, and that’s not horrible or anything, but there needs to be a sort of balance.  Same goes for focusing on some other aspect like school or work.  All of these things are of equal importance (to me at least). I believe that when there is a balance, there is happiness.

I have experienced times in my life where I think “This is it.  This is how it’s supposed to be.”  That’s when I know I am truly happy, if only for a moment.  For example, the last time I can consciously remember was over the summer.  It was late in July, and my friends and I were gathered in Hannah’s back yard for a bonfire.  The night sky was beautiful, the weather was perfect, and I yearned for nothing.  I was surrounded by people I love, and there was such a positive aura surrounding us.  I wasn’t worried about anything; I was only happy.  I know that’s a really simple example, but happiness can genuinely be as simple as that. 

As Andy Warhol once said, “You have to be willing to get happy about nothing'."

--Alaina Elias, Civil Engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh and Civil Engineering Co-op at Westinghouse Electric Company

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"Eventually, there is a breakdown. It's usually over something little, like a criticism, or forgetting to pay my bills on time, or maybe it's something bigger... a death in the family, rejection, or fear. Sometimes it takes something truly vile and dark to open your eyes to what beauty you may have been missing, and for me, that came in a college course, through the words of Viktor Frankl:

'Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.'

I'll admit it, I am one of those people who believe quotes can change lives. Frankl wrote this in his memoir Man's Search for Meaning, his personal philosophy and psychology, after being held prisoner in a concentration camp for many years. With his philosophy, he was able to overcome so much pain, reiterating how the only way out is 'through.'

Once I began to understand that I was only a prisoner of my mind, my self-destructive behavior, medications, and therapy all stopped. There are millions of things in this world that we are unable to control, but sometimes we forget about the one thing we have absolute control over: our reactions. Maybe it's not as easy as waking up everyday and telling yourself it's going to be a great day, but then again -- maybe, it is.

For me, happiness is a choice, and it starts with each moment."


--Cassandra Pierce, Psychology student at the University of Pittsburgh

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"As for my reply the short answer would have to be a sense of purpose and love, in which ever order suites you. To feel as if you've accomplished something and to have a sense of purpose for the moment and for the moments to come puts life into perspective, I feel. It makes it easier to wake up the next day and try try try again and thus increases one's level of happiness. And to have love makes it all worth while. It doesn't have to be the romantic love we fantisize on the silver screen or in our own imaginiations, but even as simple as loving oneself can make or break the experience that is life. To love what you do and how you do it makes the accomplishment taste all the more sweet and the sweat you put into achieving that purose worth the effort. To quote the beautiful musical Moulin Rouge, 'love lifts us up where we belong, all you need is love'."

-Tisha Farris, University of Pittsburgh graduate with Bachelors degree in Environmental Studies and Yogini at Santa Fe Community Yoga Center

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"The first thing that came to my mind, was Self-Worth. Having low self-esteem most of my life created a spiral of unhappiness. Realizing my self-worth (which came from finding success in life) changed my entire outlook on life.

Secondly... acceptance. I suppose for me, acceptance strongly correlates with satisfaction. I mean this in an absolutely positive way. I learned to accept that certain things weren't going to go my way, or certain people weren't going change, or certain memories would always be painful--- this led me to remove myself from the hurtful people, situations and problems that I could. I accepted defeats and failures-- and because I knew that I had tried everything in my power, I was satisfied with the outcome. Maybe not happy ... or sad... but satisfied.

Kind of like the serenity prayer, 'God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference'."

-Melanie Steuernagel

Special Education Teacher at Derry Area Senior High School and mommy of one Aubrey Rose Steuernagel