Let’s continue on with the look at the article What is Happiness by Kendra Cherry as mentioned last Wednesday.

She says that happiness is a very subjective thing that varies greatly from one person to another. Here is a list from the above article that show key signs of happiness

1. Feeling like you are living the life you wanted
2. Feeling that the conditions of your life are good
3. Feeling that you have accomplished (or will accomplish) what you want in life
4. Feeling satisfied with your life
5. Feeling positive more than negative

I must remember that happiness is not a constant state of euphoria, it is more of an overall sense of life. Everyone has a full range of positive and negative emotions, it is primarily how you deal with those emotions that determine if you might consider yourself a happy person. A happy person who faces discomfort will deal with those negative emotions that come, with a sense of optimism that things will get better. I have to remember that.

Personally, I think that is why happiness has somewhat disappeared from my life in the last few years. After enduring four years of a completely incompetent president, followed by international failure in dealing with the latest virus, and then to topping it off with the national disunity that has crippled our country, has almost drained my sense of optimism. The thing I needed to realize is that there is little I can do about any of these three things, so I need to move those thoughts to a much lower level of consciousness. In other words,

Quit worrying about things I have no control over.

I must concentrate on things that I, personally, can contribute to making our world, and my life a better place. I am seriously trying to do just that. A significant part of that is the current re-configuration of RJsCorner, and my corresponding priorities in life should help my overall happiness index. 🥴

I am by nature an optimist, so I need to work to get that feeling back. Feeling more positive than negative will be a challenge, but I think I am up to it. Once I put this all together, I think happiness will once again rule my life.

From considering the above, I kind of get the feeling that the author considers happiness and satisfying are two close synonyms. I’m not so sure about that just yet, but I think I am on the right track.

Next week I will be bringing in one of my favorite philosophers, Aristotle to tell me what he thinks happiness is.