Extended Definition(DRAFT)

Pursuit of Happiness

            What is the true meaning of happiness? Where can we find happiness? These are questions that linger in everybody’s mind. Happiness for me is a state of well-being which we can draw from sources like family, friends, money, and achievements. Happiness is not just about doing whatever we like, it’s about being happy or contented about the things we have done.

            The Denotative meaning of happiness, according to the Webster Dictionary, is the state of being contented by a pleasurable or satisfying experience. It’s denotative meaning suggests a common way of expounding this state; however, its connotation reveals a much wider perspective on this term. Jamiko Allan Sabbun Manguba, a college freshman from De La Salle University, believes that true happiness is when you come to realize your highest desires, taking no notice of all other matters you once thought would bring you much gladness. What Miko means by this is that many people think that money would give happiness to them, only realizing that money would just be a short-term solution to their problems. Happiness is not what you think it is. Four of the many sources of true happiness are as follows: Family, Friends, Money (long-term), and Achievements.

There are many sources from which we can draw happiness. First, Family is one of the key providers of happiness since they would always be there to support you no matter what. Examples of happiness that can be acquired from family members are motivation, support, love, etc. which would drive us to become happy and better people. Second, friends are also a key provider of happiness to us because majority of the time outside our homes, our friends would be there to provide us with what we need, physically or emotionally. Knowing that we have friends that would always support us would give us a reason to be happy. Third for me is, Money because money in the present life would help ease our financial problems. When we solve our financial problems, we become less stressed and thus becoming happy. I don’t believe in the saying “Money cant buy happiness” because to be able to survive in the fast pace of the present world, one must be able to be financially independent and capable. What I mean by financially independent is that one must be able to survive everyday living without hassle of financial problems. By living a financially independent life, one can ensure a life free of hassle about money.   Lastly, achievements that we have accomplished would greatly boost our happiness quotient since accomplishing tasks would reward us with a boost of ego and happiness.

            With happiness come positive and negative effects. It doesn’t mean that if you’re happy, there are no consequences. Two good effects of being happy is being in a state of wellness and being stress-free. Knowing that what you did will make you happy will result in a state of being contented. By being contented, you would not be greedy and in the long run, you would live a life with good values. By being stress-free, one can live a life with less hassle or less problems to cope with. Being happy is a sign that one has done what he/she likes doing best and knowing that he/she would be happy and contented after doing it. According to the studies of BC Health Coalition, a life with little stress is a life with less illness. I believe that this is true because majority of the illness that occurs in our body resulted from stress. Too much stress can lower our immune system; thus making us more prone to sickness.

            There are many good effects of happiness but they are too many to mention; however, there are negative effects that should not be overlooked. One of which is that by being overhappy, we are driven away from reality. An example of which is that if you’re too happy, you will not be able to become aware of present problems or stressors. This is a grave negative effect of being excessively happy because if we are absent from reality, the happiness we are currently experiencing is just a short-term happiness. Furthermore, it is very crucial to become aware of the present reality so as to be able to plan the course of action. By planning what we ought to do, we can overcome the forthcoming stressors and in the future, become contented. Another disadvantage of being excessively happy is that we become complacent. Thinking that all will be good, we become complacent and if we become complacent, we may neglect other aspects that may have made us much happier.

            Being happy is not just about doing what you like or having things that satisfy you at the moment, true happiness is more than that. One can achieve true happiness by focusing on what he/she has now and knowing how to allocate time to plan for the future. Additionally, to be happy, one must treasure the sources of happiness and know how to use it for his/her advantage. Always remember that majority of the time, family would be the first source of happiness because from womb to tomb, they would be there. Being happy gives us good effects as well as negative effects. By knowing how to utilize these negative effects for our advantage, we can become happier than ever in the long run. Sharon Salzberg once said, “As I go through all kinds of feelings and experiences in my journey through life -- delight, surprise, chagrin, dismay -- I hold this question as a guiding light: 'What do I really need right now to be happy?' What I come to over and over again is that only qualities as vast and deep as love, connection and kindness will really make me happy in any sort of enduring way.” This means that happiness is not always what you think it is.  Happiness comes in different forms and comes from different sources. We must know how to utilize the present short-term happiness for the future long-term happiness and this I believe, is the meaning of true happiness.

Sources: http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/happiness

http://www.nsrusa.org/happiness.php
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/happiness
http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx

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