Thursday, January 19, 2012

Happiness?

Context: Debate with a friend on what happiness really is.

Cherry:

Happiness - what is it?
Some days, you're just low, how do you explain that? Or frustrated? Sure, happiness is in your hands, but don't the same things that make you happy sometimes also frustrate you at other times? Aren't there some things in your life that you wish were different? Some changes that you want to bring about? So when you answer 'Yes, I'm happy', isn't it because you choose to look at the things that make you happy and ignore other slight blemishes, if any? If you are happy with some of the BIG things in life that matter most to you, well, then, that's all you're going to look at :)

Me:

So one day I called my father and said, "Father! I'm completely devoid of motivation right now. I don't want to work! Do something. Give motivational speech!" :)

And so Daddy dearest says; "I don't know about motivational speech, but I'll tell you something I've learnt from my X years of work experience." We stopped to gawk and gasp at how many years of work experience he had had. Then he said, "No matter what it is you do as your work, you're compromising something. Either you don't love your work, but you're happy with all the things that doing "that work" allows you to do, or you love your work and you don't lead a luxurious life. Very few people can strike a pot of gold and get both. The thing is though, there are times that, with the very same thing, you will get frustrated, whatever the case be. You're bored with it, you find it monotonous, you find it irritating at one point, and yet at another point, you are thankful to have it. So, the best way to motivate yourself may be to look at all the good things you're getting out of your job. You thoroughly enjoy the trips that you're able to afford thanks to this job, right? So, it's giving you something you love. Now, choose whether this motivates you enough to work or not."

Magic words.

Putting that in theory, since happiness is a dynamic emotion, the same things can make you happy at one point and at other points, make you unhappy. That's either because you compare and measure the thing that made you happy to different things at different points or you look at it differently as you gain a different perspective each day. (Or you're just really moody :P).

Also, the grass is always greener on the other side. ALWAYS. Which is the biggest reason for unhappiness. And sure, you may wish that some things were different. But it also holds true that people fight for and get what they want if they want it badly enough - they go make the change they'd been wishing for. If you haven't fought to get it, then you're stuck looking at greener pastures. Deal with that, 'cause it's the choice you made. And well, the ability to compare really stabs happiness in the back sometimes, doesn't it? :)

Haven't had such random, yet exhilarating discussions in a while, so thought this deserves to be here!

No comments:

 
Support Wikipedia