What makes you happy?

[j.d.byrnes]

I've been a particularly large rut for a little while and I was just wondering what makes everyone here happy, what allows you to love life and to keep going. I have a simple desire to be happy and am just looking for as many suggestions as I can get to try and be happy.

[johnagent1911]

Well what keeps me going is my college.

 

 

Other than that I'm pretty much screwed.

 

-1911

[tainted_soul]

what i would do is eat parsnips. lots of parsnips. parsnips, parsnips, parsnips.

[Eh Im Canadian]

Well, there a lot of things that make me happy. One is helping people out, online, and at school. Another is petting a kitten. Lets see, another is cooking a meal that everybody likes. Theres a long list, but it would keep going on and on. I guess the biggest one is being around other people who are happy.

[naimex]

If you are talking about just being happy.. then I guess, it´s knowing, that those I care about are doing well, and that I am still alive, and healthy.

 

 

If you are talking about what makes me feel like the happiest man in the world..

 

Then it´s whenever a girl I know. (we´re not together, and will never be since she´s out of my league) calls me, or talks to me.. just knowing that she is happy makes me happy.

 

She´s younger than me, and yet she is more responsible, and knows whats best for me.. even when I don´t know myself..

 

 

So I would say close friends.. real friends, make me the happiest man in the world.

[Wraith]

I've been a particularly large rut for a little while and I was just wondering what makes everyone here happy, what allows you to love life and to keep going. I have a simple desire to be happy and am just looking for as many suggestions as I can get to try and be happy.

 

Are you asking me what makes me happy or where to get motivation?

 

In terms of motivation I don't know where people get it. Almost everything in the world is so pointless I think some people who are motivated deliberately choose to live in ignorance because their unconscious mind realises if they stopped and actually thought about what they were doing they'd realise the utter futility of it.

 

There are those who are motivated however because they have found their path in life 'divinely inspired and guided' if you will and it is those people who are truly happy.

 

Finally finding the first stone of the road of my destiny would make me happy.

[EmptySoul]

writing. being around people who care about me/ i care about. being out at night. daring to do something others won't. doing anything that will make their jaws drop and give me a laugh. being myself.

 

EmptySoul

[The_Loner_Warrior]

for me personally its my Martial Arts . Just trying to help people I know that just need some to talk to or hanging out with friends.

[Lily04]

what makes me happy has changed quite a bit over the years..there's really no simple answer. But some things I've noticed:

 

- Having a crush & having him return the attraction. I haven't had this feeling in a while unfortunately

 

- Accomplishing a big project. This is usually getting an A on an essay I worked hard on or something of that nature..

 

- Wearing a nice outfit & looking good.

 

- Helping others!! Why I've been trying to answer people's questions on here today, I've been depressed all day, lol.. If I can make a difference somehow that lifts my mood a little.

 

I think the last point is key. The nature of love is really starting to intrigue me & its connection to happiness is even more interesting. I've read some of Bertrand Russell & Plato (philosophers) in high school and they make the connection as well..as I haven't experienced love I can't really comment obviously. But supposedly, it makes you happy Not even romantic love, but having a general love for human kind can be defined as a lasting form of happines, not temporal (as the type of happiness you're seeking.) Umm..helping others achieve something brightens your mood because you feel more worthwhile..so if you're depressed and feel you can't help yourself, at least you can help others, perhaps there is some purpose.

 

Also try listening to music and just losing yourself in it..I try to identify with the music, especially if it's especially poignant, and a piece with many harmonics (flats & sharps), it can really strike a note..deep..or, alternatively you can just spiral deeper downwards..sometimes crying helps though.

 

Also, working out can help & taking a long shower or bath. I love swimming especially..

 

Hope that helped..I'm still trying to figure out the answer myself.

 

Lily04

[johnagent1911]

My theory on life is "Nothing matters". You may have read some where Plato thought as this life is nothing but a dream? Well it's kind of like that theory but better. (Or I think anyhow.)

 

-1911

[Lily04]

yeah, that's like existentialism. Read some of Sartre, Nietzche, Kafka, or do a search for it on the 'net. There's a lot of theories about the nothingness of life, and the meaningless of our existence. Pretty depressing theories, but they have been in circulation for quite some time and are worth researching..I want to read some more about it, Heidegger especially (probably spelled his name wrong, too tired now..) He wrote about the meaning of life, or lack thereof I believe..at least when I was contemplating the nature of death, someone suggested him to me so I guess he's worth reading about that as well..

[Celadon]

Taking a walk in nature, and instead of letting my mind think about a milion things, just noticing the breeze, the smell of the trees, the sound of the birds. Being in the moment, instead of trying to control the moment.

 

Learning something new. Letting myself follow my curiosity.

 

Taking care of my health. Getting enough sleep. Getting enough exercise. Eating good food, not junk.

[Kittengirl]

For me it's being content. Doesn't happen all the time but when I'm content I can let go of things that bother me, things I have no control over and cannot change. Now, finding contentment is the real hurdle. I'm there right now and that is due to having great friends and family, enough money to do as I wish and somewhere to live, the love of a great partner and knowing I am trying everyday to be the best person I can be.

[Celadon]

Funny, I was just feeling in a rut yesterday -- life is meaningless, there'll never be satisfaction, etc.

 

What pulled me out was thinking about how I'd like to stretch myself and what new thing I'd like to accomplish/experience. I've decided to change my living situation, and I'll take the next six months to get myself ready for that.

 

It feels good to be planning for something new.

[Shinobie]

I take happy pills! thats what makes me happy