An 80-year-old was being driven to an old-age home. He was jubilant, talking about the wonderful time he was going to have. Asked how he could be so happy when he had not even seen the place, he replied, “How does that matter? I have decided to be happy.”
Philosophers, from time immemorial, have talked about the fundamentals of human happiness — finding pleasure and avoiding pain. Happiness is the acceptance of a relationship or situation, with a sense of satisfaction, not with resignation. It is a positive emotion and should never stem from the unhappiness or discomfiture of someone else, because happiness is not a zero-sum game.
Envy and suspicion are the biggest barriers to a happy state. A positive attitude helps a person to count her blessings, hold back complaints and treat others well. Happiness comes from optimism, laced with a sense of reality. As writer Brian Vaszily says, “If being happy is important to you, try this: instead of regretting all you lack, celebrate all you have got.”
