This question has been on my mind a lot lately. What is it to be happy? I'd have to say everyone would have a different definition for it, yet most never find it. Me, I've beginning to think that happy is a trick of hormones. So I want to hear opinions, what is your definition of happy?

Genes and circumstances equally contribute to a person's happiness at any moment, but genes cause about eighty percent of the range of happiness they can feel. Genes do this by setting the production and release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, and the neurotransmitter serotonin to create the feeling of misery. The scientific story continues. Evolutionary psychologists have mapped the evolutionary means by which these genes arose, and psychologists suggest that happiness largely depends on feeling meaning in life.

SOURCE


no need to thank us.

Yeah, thanks that clears things up greatly

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=happiness

There ya go.

Eh, forget it. I can look in the dictionary, but it's not exactly what I'm looking for. I'm talking in a more personal way. What are your personal views on happiness? What is it to you. Is it what you make it, or is it something like, "They say I should be happy so I will be."

For me personally I can say I have been content. That's about as close, but you can argue it's the same thing.

Happiness is:


-midgets on unicycles

-reeds in the wind

- 100 dollar bills

-yaks

Ok, I'll give you the midgets on unicycles and the hundred dollar bill. But on the yaks I'm gonna have to go with a billy goat in a bow tie.

Snuffy delivers quotes, for this makes him glad.

-Albert Camus.

-John Mason Brown.

-Mahatma Ghandi.

Moe will go with Ghandi on this one. All he really wanted was some salt

Well it's got my vote. Ghandi rocks.

happiness is the jackass movie showed on fox(the'll show anything)uncensored.

Walken is happy

I dont know. Sometimes I think I am happy and content but theres always a nagging doubt/worry in the back of my mind. I think tooi much to just let myself be happy.

Same here. It always ends up coming back to bite me in the ass.

Well, since your question is not about joy, but considering the differences between the two, I would say that happiness is mood influenced. Its an emotional state in which the person feels the opposite of sad and depressed. This is a real feeling, and not just something imagined. However, joy is not influenced by emotions. Joy is something not many people have. Its a lifestyle of good living and happy music,
good people, happy environments, and simply living a good life...
And even belief in God that makes a person joyful. There differences about joy and happiness. Joy never goes away, but happiness does. Joy is not influenced by your emotions, but happiness is. Happiness is temporary, joy is permanent. If you have joy, its easier to be happy. If you don't have joy, its hard to feel happy. A healthy person has joy. A sick person does not have joy; and long lasting happiness is powered by joy. So, if you don't have joy in your life, then simply try what I do. I decided to believe in Jesus Christ. I believe in the Bible. I believe that if it was't for Jesus, I would spend eternaty in hell. This is not just talking yourself into having joy. You cannot see joy. You can only feel it. If you like what you feel, then you know yourself what it is. I have joy and thats all. So, if you want to have joy which is permanent, unlike happiness, try what others have tried. Ask people...
Do you have joy? Now, sure you'd get the same response from a druggie. But their happiness is chemically influenced and is temporary till they pass out.

Bah that happens to me alot as well...I'll start to get estatic over sumthin then its like another voice kicks in and says 'ya this'll be over soon..life is shyt' and I feel a little depressed lol

- Dark

dont we all.
lifes a b****

"Lifes a b**** and she's back in heat"

I dunno how I would describe happiness... There are times you feel happy and times you don't. It's obviously chemical reactions brought on by what emotions you are feeling and so on...

I'm quite content with my life at the moment... I have fun with my friends and I have an ok job, my family is healthy and everything... I'm lacking in the area of a relationship at the moment though so I have my days when I feel down because of that...

Life is likea box of chocolates , once you have had your fill, you find a whole nother row of chocolates

Life is like a box of chocolates, once you've been handed the box their all gone...

you are wise beyond your yrs, i really like that quote

I don't agree totally here. I think joy can be taken away. I don't want to argue the God side of it, but yes, I believe that joy can be taken away, just like happiness. In my mind, anything can be taken away, I've had it proven to me. Again not something I want to get into.

Well i think Happiness, is something so simple that sometimes we look to hard for it and we just go past it or can't see it..
Some people think money and flash cars and a big life style is such a thing. Some people think because they have little or nothing that they can't or will never find Happiness..
We all have a different view of what Happiness is, as we all want different things in life, we all seem to think that Happiness is something we should work so hard to find, oh how wrong we can be.
I speaking for my self for i found out the hard way, but deep down it doesn't have to be that way, don't walk down a very dark and lonely path to find it, it's not there.
Just look deep down inside your self, don't sit and think you will never be happy, or sit and question why you are not as happy as the next person. You are, you just don't think it is realy that easy. Don't look at what other people have or what makes them happy, think what makes you happy, think about you and if what is happening in your life isn't making you happy then change it. It doesn't have to be anything drastic or life changing, all it takes is waking up on a morning and the first thing you do is smile.
Tell your self it's your day so your going to be happy and feel happy and do things that make you happy, i promise waking up with a smile on your face and feeling good about your self will make a big difference. And if your at the hands of someone who harms you or hurts you with words then try and be strong, keep telling your self you are stronger than they are, because they are not happy then you will never let them take yours from you never..
I know it's easier said than done and your thinking if only it was that easy, well it is, there is only one person in the world that can bring Happiness in to your life, and that's you,(and also meaning your children and family) It is an easy place to be, but things in life seem to cloud it and make you think it's never there, it is and always will be, i wish you all new how easy and simple Happiness realy is.

I know i'm going on or you think what the heck she on about..
But realy look for the most simple things in life.
So there, thats what i think happy is...

happiness is an illusion, at least it is for me. the minute you open up to believe in something, you get screwed over

I see your point my friend, we do tend to think the only way to find happiness is to learn the hard way, but it depends what you believe happiness is..

My little boy makes me happy

I tried hard to be nice to other people. I gave so much of myself helping others, and it did make me happy, but in the end the people i helped didn't care about any of that, and all my help went without notice. they also double crossed me several times, and i forgave them, but after so many times i just gave up, and made me hateful towards things i used to like. I now know better than to let people in for the most part.

Happy is the first bite of cold ice cream on a hot and humid day.
Happy is when you first begin to swim.
Happy is having your Cats give you the "Nose Greeting"
Exuberance is kissing and hugging someone.
Peace my Brotha's & Sista's!

I'm sorry to hear that.


They abused your kindness and they looked at it as a weakness. You probably bent over backwards for these people and they let you, they probably also let you think they were your best pals who you could trust your life with.
They make you feel that they would be lost without your help and your friendship, and you get in the habit of thinking they need you. ( or they get you in the habit)
Like you said you tried hard to be nice to others, and gave your trust friendship and kindness in return for happiness. People like that are not worth taking your smile away, they never seem to understand why you are the way you are, so they try to pull you down to there level because they envy you, and they fear that.
The only thing you done wrong was fall victim of people who quite simply have no regards of what others feel, they want what you have, a kind heart and a whole lot of good things about you. It is a hard lesson learnt, but next time don't be in such a hurry to let yourself be used in this way. And try not to be down about it, not every one is out to hurt your feelings or take your friendship for granted.
But like i said don't let others take your kindness as a weakness, and don't let your self be used in this way, but do get on with your life and let your self be happy again. And never think in order to be happy you have to always put others first, thats not always the case...

thanx for those words, silent storm, they're real nice. I just feel like's i've already been turned. I am still willing to help those i know ican trust, but i think it's impossible for me to let anyone in. i dunno. but thank u nontheless

Happy is a feeling of uphoria that only lasts momenterally.
Like waking up on the first day of spring to see the rebirth of flowers and the green grass. The smell of Jasmine on hot summer nights. Laying on a blanket staring at stars and sipping wine with the one you love. It is the little things in life like going out for drinks with someone you really enjoy spending time with. Sitting on the couch and watching movies. Or watching someone play Resident Evil and hearing them scream like a girl when a zombie pops up. Looking at goofy grins when they don't know your watching them out of the corner of you eye. Having heart felt talks over Margiritas. And listening to old college stories and softball stories as they show you the scars they have gotten from rough play. And above all happiness is thinking of someone who brings a smile to your face.

Music makes me happy, I would say. And when my little dog dances when I come home, and the way she brings me a little present, and my friends, and my guitar.

But on the other side, a lot of things make me angry and upset, and they are very hard to balance out. I guess there is no definition for what makes us happy, it is a matter of opinion.

Happy is being part of the UM community...

LBD

Happiness is a camel.



The bactrian camel pictured above has two large humps. The humps store fat, not water, so the camel can travel the desert for a long time without eating. When the humps are large, it means that the camel is fully stocked for a long trek without much food available. It is often very difficult to find food in the desert, so the humps are very good for camels.

Does this news not jazz you? We know that you are jazzed.

I've always made it a point to make sure the one's around me were happy, just seems like I never get anything in return for it. Somtimes I think its better to just shut yourself off. That way you don't get hurt.

Walken is still happy

Dude, I totally know how you feel. I don't talk about things that really hurt me, then it ends up even worse. I find it hard to open up to even my best friends sometimes.

Happiness is..


Star Childs avatar.

lol!


It's NOT mine...just had to clear that up.

oh no need to clear up anything Star Child.

Moe loves all thongs far and wide.

Very nice, moe.

Unfortunately, some of us need something more than underwear to make us happy.

O more happy thoughts indeed.

we think Star Child is trying to hurt us this morning.

What? How am I trying to hurt you?

cold showers are not happiness.



we must meditate on happy thoughts:


greys look like white kermit the frogs without the jazzy collar

Yeah, opening up only gets you hurt. I think if it ever comes down to it again, it's gonna be better if I just keep it all to myself. That way no one can use it against me later.

I had a cold shower this morning. They are happy!


How did I hurt yee?

It is ok Star Child. Worry not about these things. You are still on Moe's list of wholesome persons.

As are you on mine, dearest Moe!

Thinking that got me in so much trouble.

Not thinking that has gotten me into more. Right now, I'm at a point where happiness just probably isn't in my cards. It's a morbid fate, and it keeps me up at night, but it just keeps coming back. I'll think I'm past it, and I get slammed in the face again.