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“I just want to be happy.
I didn’t mean to overhear her cell phone conversation, but I would have
had to have been deaf not to hear the young woman’s painful plea.
I am happy.
I hope you are happy, too.
That would make me happier.
I have found that an easy way to be happy is to be happy for others.
Being happy is better than being king.
We often give negative things more weight than positive things,
inflicting our unhappiness on others. When life gives us lemons, we
shouldn’t squirt them in another’s eye.
The Declaration of Independence tells us that the pursuit of happiness
is an inalienable right. Capturing happiness is an achievement.
John Locke wrote in the 17th century, “The business of man is
to be happy in the world.”
Abraham Lincoln said that a man will be as happy as he chooses to be. I
have heard it said, “Think happy, be happy.” If you believe you are
happy, you will be.
In a world of large portions, we never get quite enough. Some of us
don’t want anyone to have more. We want to be as happy as the happiest
of people. What is enough?
My mother was big on “making do.” Being grateful for what we have is a
good way to be happy. We made do and weren’t any worse for the wear.
People who live in big homes are no happier than those who live in small
houses. Those who live in places known for their perfect weather are no
happier than those of us who live in Minnesota—a place known for weather
that is other than perfect.
My mother told me that I was put here to help others. I would ask her
what the others were here for. It seemed to me that I was getting the
raw end of the deal. Helping others does make us happy.
Brain researchers found that prefrontal cortices signify idea generation
and lively thought. Happiness increases prefrontal cortical activity
while sadness decreases it. Need a good idea? Be happy. Studying for a
big test? Be happy.
A Harvard University researcher named Daniel Gilbert studied a lottery
winner and a person who was paralyzed in an accident. A bend in the
human heart cannot be seen, but Gilbert’s studies showed that one year
after their life-changing events, the two were equally happy.
The University of Michigan and its World Values Surveys provided a
ranking of 97 nations containing 90 percent of the world's population.
The results indicated that Denmark is the happiest nation in the world
and Zimbabwe the unhappiest. The United States ranked 16th on the list,
behind Switzerland, Canada and Sweden, and immediately after New
Zealand. This is embarrassing for the USA, the country that invented the
smiley-face. During the past 26 years, the World Values Surveys have
asked more than 350,000 people how happy they are, using the same two
questions. “Taking all things together, would you say you are very
happy, rather happy, not very happy, not at all happy?” And, “All things
considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days?”
We have been told that money cannot buy happiness. Research has found
that financial prosperity is a reason for happiness, but it is not the
most important factor. Personal freedom, social tolerance and
democratization are more important.
We’re doing OK. A worldwide study showed that respondents averaged 7 on
the 0 to10 happiness scale, but we should be finding new ways to be
happy.
There is happiness in simple pleasures. Happiness is a measure of that
gap between expectations and reality. Move the clouds today. Try the
mountains tomorrow. Happiness can be built upon little joys. My father’s
idea of happiness was to get a good night’s sleep. Listening to the
birds brings me happiness. I opened a door for a woman the other day.
She smiled and thanked me. That brought me a great deal of happiness. My
last dog found happiness in drinking from a toilet bowl. I don’t
recommend that. Optimists are happier than pessimists. Any good
pessimist could confirm that.
Have you ever apologized to someone? Of course, you have. Do you recall
how difficult it was to say you were sorry, that you were wrong? It was
excruciating. Do you remember how you felt afterward? You likely
experienced happiness. An apology can bring happiness.
Bobby McFerrin sang, “Don’t worry, be happy.”
Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, “There is no duty we so much underrate as
the duty of being happy.”
Now get out there and be happy for no reason.
And put on your happy face.
You never know when you might be a part of a survey.
©Al Batt 2008 |
