Exented Definition Essay(FINAL)

Pursuit of Happiness

Mark Gonzales

            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. Its denotative meaning suggests a common way of expounding this state; however, its connotation reveals a much wider perspective. Jamiko Allan Sabbun Manguba, a college freshman from De La Salle University, believes that true happiness is when we come to realize our highest desires, taking no notice of all other matters we once thought would bring us 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 we 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 no matter what. Examples of happiness that can be acquired from family members are motivation, support,  and love 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 is money because money would help ease our financial problems. When we solve our financial problems, we become less stressed and thus we become happy. I do not believe in the saying “Money cannot buy happiness” because to be able to survive in the fast pace changing world, one must be able to be financially independent and capable.  Being 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 does not mean that if you are happy, there are no consequences. Two good effects of being happy are being in a state of wellness and being stress-free. Knowing that what we did will make us happy will result in a state of being contented. By being contented, we would not be greedy and in the long run, we would live a life with good values. By being stress-free, we can live a life with less hassle or less problems to cope with. Being happy is a sign that we have done what we like 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 are 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 gratified, we may neglect other aspects that may have made us much happier.

            Being happy is not just about doing what we like or having things that satisfy us at the moment, true happiness is more than that. We can achieve true happiness by focusing on what we have now and knowing how to allocate time to plan for the future. Additionally, to be happy, we must treasure the sources of happiness and know how to use it for our 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 we 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.

Word Count: 1067



Sources:

     Psych Basics(n,.d). Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/happiness

     Happiness(n.d). Retrieved from http://www.nsrusa.org/happiness.php

     Happiness(n.d). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/happiness
     
     Authentic Happiness(2012, March 22). Retrieved from http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx