. Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill. July fourth is a propitious time to think about those rights Mr. Jefferson 
Thomas Jefferson - A Film by Ken Burnsclaimed on that July 4th 1776. Most of us have a pretty good idea of the meaning of life and liberty, but what about happiness; how do you pursue happiness and would we recognize the often elusive emotion if we caught it?Wealth and Happiness
Will money make you happy. A comedian once joked that money may not bring you happiness but it will buy anything that what will bring you happiness. A good line, but can money really buy you happiness and if so how much of it do you need? Aristotle gave an answer many years ago that has held up quite well with time: Enough wealth is needed to provide for the needs of life but anything beyond that brings only limited satisfaction Modern happiness surveys have confirmed Aristotle’s belief. Wealth that allows an individual and family to escape poverty certainly can add to happiness, but beyond that, money contributes little to happiness. But is this true, that we only need enough wealth to provides for our basic needs, such as food shelter and clothing. What if I’m happy with an 1800 square foot house but you want a 3000 square foot house? Also has modern technology and advertising changed what we need to be happy. Could we be happy without our computers, colored televisions and mobile phones? I’m feeling unhappy just writing about it. LOL
Health And Happiness
What role does good
health 
Omron HJ-720ITC Pocket Pedometer with Advanced Omron Health Management Software play in our pursuit of happiness ? Common sense tells us that we are happier when we are healthy. Can someone who suffers from chronic pain, for example, be happy and if not does that again bring fourth the question of money and happiness; after all, wouldn’t one need enough money to buy the medication to manage the pain? The good news is, that counter intuitive though it may be, studies have concluded that people undergoing even the most difficult health challenges such as dialysis and cancer can continue to be happy. Possibly the reason good health doesn’t add more to our happiness is we don’t realize what a blessing good health is till we lose it..Attitude And Happiness
If wealth and happiness don’t guarantee happiness, What is the key to pursuing happiness? More and more evidence is accumulating from the fields of cognitive science and neuroscience that our attitude and the way we think about life’s occurrences may play a bigger role than any other happiness factor. These factors sound an awful lot like what we were taught as children: Be grateful for what we have, help others, look for the positive, and work to maintain our relationships with family and friends. The good news is that studies shave shown that as we age , our skills at these simple but vital attitudes improves, and thus the chance for happiness actually grows . So hopefully I haven't rambled so much I've made you unhappy! I would love to hear your comments on:
Does wealth bring happiness and if so, how much wealth do we need?
Can we be happy even in bad health?
Does happiness really matter anyway?
Looking forward to your comments below
4 comments:
Happiness, contentment, joy. You can have all of those at any age, but I thinl they become easier with maturity and the realization that, while we don't control our circumstances, we do have control over our attitudes (paraphrase stolen from Victor Frankl). I thank God daily for my aches and pains. They let me know I'm alive. Likewise I thank him for the ability to grieve, for that means I've also had the experience of love. These are things that make life worthwhile. May each of you come to similar realizations within your own lives.
I think happiness matters a great deal but like you mentioned, I'm not sure how to identify when we have reached that elusive state. I don't think that being healthy brings you happiness because most people don't really acknowledge or appreciate their health until they have problems with it. And as for wealth, well how much is enough? I know that I personally am much better off financially than I was 10 years ago but am I happier? Probably not... I think more than wealth or health, the key is to feel like you are making a difference somehow and that you feel productive and useful. I can feel happier by doing something for someone else. By no means would I describe myself as a happy person, but when I am active in pursuits to help others, it makes me feel better.
Scott, Thanks so much for your comment. There is much wisdom in what you say. I do think that as we age , we can more easily determine what is important in life and what is not. BTW I also like to quote Victor Frankl and I believe his book is one everyone should read at least once in life. Thanks again.
Richard
Debbie,
Thanks for your comment. I believe you arew onto something with your comment that feeling you are " making a difference" is the key to happiness. I tthink that is probably true whether we are spaeking of marriage ,work, or just our own feeling of happiness.
richard
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