Why are you happy?

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   Escobanaposted 12 years ago

   And if you're not, what would you change to reach the state of happiness you want to be in.
   
   I am happy for living my life without any stress, the freedom to choose where I want to go each day, for having found true love and for having learned how to love myself with all the good and all the bad.
   
   
   
   

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      prettydarkhorseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      you are pretty!
      
      I am happy bec I am healthy and can afford a little luxury. My daughter is also healthy!

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         Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks so much for the lovely compliment:-)
         
         Being healthy is such a gift! A little luxury makes life a little more pleasant. Keep it up!

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   janesixposted 12 years ago

   I am happy that everyone in my family is happy and well

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   knolyourselfposted 12 years ago

   If not what is the sense? If you are not.

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      Escobanaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There is no sense to life if you're not but I can remember being extremely unhappy for years, hoping for better days.
      
      I was depressed and ill. Happiness isn't a natural thing to be or feel for a lot of people in this world.

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         Kochen-lernenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         When i was younger i felt this way for a long time, too.
         I was unhappy without a visible reason and i knew there was no reason to be unhappy. that made it even worse. i kept asking myself: "what is wrong with me?".
         Then i got my first job and went to an new city. I lived in a little room far away from my family and worked 8 hours a day for the first time in my life. Although i had less freetime i felt much better. Maybe because i had no problems shifting for myself for the first time in my life. it gave me some confidence (Which i am lacking since my time in school).
         
         I think i felt depressed because of doing nothing usefull.

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            Escobanaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Doing nothing, having no goal in life and not knowing what to do in a day can certainly make someone depressed in the end. It also eats away your self esteem in time. I know what that's like.
            
            Working, managing your own life and feeling useful in the outside society, can bring back a lot of self confidence, joy and happiness. I'm glad you found your way back:-) Life is too beautiful to let pass by on you....

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   rebekahELLEposted 12 years ago

   Yes, I'm happy. It comes from within. One of my hubs is about happiness.
   
   It's great that you are no longer depressed and ill, Escobana. I can't imagine how hard it would be to live in a depressed state of mind, but I know many do.
   
   Often simply looking outside or being outside gives me a sense of well being.
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAUoClbS … embedded#! 

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      Escobanaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      After depressions and difficult stages in life, it's even more wonderful to experience happiness.
      
      Going outside and sitting in the sun is one of the simple things that really can make my day:-) Breating in and out, enjoying the fresh air and closing my eyes while listening to the birds singing.

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         Escobanaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         RebekahELLE....I loved the video! Here's another great one:-)
         
         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATc45TLI … re=related

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   habeeposted 12 years ago

   I've always been a happy person, basically. Of course, I get down and frustrated sometimes, but it doesn't usually last long. I thank God every night for all my blessings: a wonderful husband, a great family, a comfortable home, good friends, a decent income, two devoted dogs, the respect of my community, etc, etc. The list is way too long for me to post!
   
   Beks, I have a hub about happiness, too! Great minds.

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      mts1098posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I am happy for all the reasons given by habee and the things that do not make me happy are also the ones I have no control over...cheers

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      Escobanaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      To Habee,
      
      I do the same thing every night. It's wonderful to speak out loud, remembering all the things I'm grateful for and happy.

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   melporposted 12 years ago

   I have always been a happy person despite the ups and downs we all experience in life. Now that I am retired and basically debt free (still got a mortgage to finish) I am even happier.

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      Escobanaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Glad to see you are a happy person! And how wonderful is it to be retired and to have all the freedom in the world to do whatever you wish to do:-)

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   rahul0324posted 12 years ago

   Happiness is a state of physical and mental well being! There are many factors which render an individual happy but I believe that until and unless one truly wants to be happy, he cannot be.
   
   There have been many problems in my life as there are in others' but I have always been looking over sorrows and tried to keep my self and people around me happy! To some extent I have succeeded.. to Some extent.. I have disappointed my self in context of keepin people happy!

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      Escobanaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I am truly happy though life of course has its ups and downs. When you care more for the other's well being than yourself, it's difficult to end up truly happy I guess.
      
      I am blessed with wonderful friends in life, knowing they're there because that person needs me as much as I need them. Friends who love me and who I love back.
      
      Hope you'll find a way in keeping yourself happy first. The rest will follow for sure:-)

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      Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I totally agree with Rahul. You have to choose to be happy and make an effort every day to live a happy life.
      
      I am a very happy person. I have the love of my life, a beautiful daughter, a wonderful home with a gorgeous view in the backyard, a running vehicle, and the chance to make a career out of writing. I really couldn't ask for anything more.
      
      Here's my backyard view.
      

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         Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I totally LOVE your backyard view!!! Great to know you're such a happy person:-) It's such a wonderful feeling!

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   Lisa HWposted 12 years ago

   I'm a generally mostly happy person, and it's because of being happy to have, and have come from, the family I have (especially my kids) and because I'm aware of how happy and grateful people should be when they have (at least for now) their good health.  Besides having nice family/friends, I live in a nice community, do some socializing, laugh a lot, have my work and interests...
   
   When it comes to a lot of things/"blessings" that are "luck-of-the-draw", but also a lot of things that involve working hard to have them, I've been pretty fortunate.  When it comes to "crap" in life (either "bad-luck-of-the-draw" or stuff I did nothing to invite), I've had more than the average person usually does too.  That stuff gives us coping skills and a survival instinct, though, and having those enough to be able to stay our otherwise happy selves in spite of it all, can give us yet more to be happy to have. 
   
   There's not a minute in my day when somewhere in the background of my mind there isn't deep appreciation for all the ways in which I'm so fortunate.  My thinking is that the small "crap" in life isn't worth being miserable over; and when it comes to the big "crap" in life, the best thing is not to let it take more away from us than it already has.  For now, I'm in a very stressful situation that I can't change.  So, I have to settle for "mostly happy most of the time" and "completely happy once in awhile", but I think that's pretty good under the particular set of circumstances.    Right now, if I were completely happy all the time I'd pretty much be in "La La Land", and I prefer an imperfect reality to La La Land. 

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      Escobanaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Beautiful answer to my question:-) I absolutely agree that going through bad stuff gives us the coping skills we need in life.
      
      My survival instinct has developed over the years into a strong and reliable force I can use whenever I am in a stressful situation.
      
      You seem to be a wise and strong woman! Thanks for responding:-)

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   Dame Scribeposted 12 years ago

   I am happy because my life is my own. I drive my own bus and can light a fire under somebodys (_)_) when needed oops

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      Escobanaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds like great happiness to me:-)

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    Dame Scribeposted 12 years ago

    indeed. Life is good and happiness does abound.

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    YoungGatesposted 11 years ago

    Im happy because I'm alive and because I think the supplements I take have something to do with it aswell.

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       Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Supplements? Now I'm curious....

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    Dr Poojaposted 11 years ago

    I think life comes in phases....it is dynamic.Happiness follows periods of bad events or vice versa.It is just that we have to develop an attitude of learning from sad events and let them go but remember and enjoy every moment of our happy days.Difficult at times .

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       Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I understand what you're trying to say. I'm sure I couldn't be this much in peace with my life as it is now, if I didn't have to struggle for at least 15 years before reaching this state of happiness I'm in.

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    jasmith1posted 11 years ago

    I am happy now. I have a lovely husband and cat. I now live in a beautiful place and have found and created work I really love. I have learnt a lot about what makes me happy and what doesn't, though this is always evolving. Getting better at saying what I want and learning to say no has helped me be happier. I used to try and be everything for everyone but that makes no one happy in the long run!

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       Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       To say no, seems a very important lesson for all of us. To stand up for ourselves and to fight for your rights at all times.
       
       Thanks for mentioning this very important aspect of life in general!

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    JKennyposted 11 years ago

    I used to be very depressed, but recently I've made changes to my life that have made me one of the happiest people on the planet. I've recently embarked on a new career as a writer via Hubpages, and have also recently met the love of my life

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       Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       To meet the love of your life seems to be a very important aspect of finding our happiness. As I read through these answers, many of us mention their love of their life.
       
       I can't deny how much finding true love, has recently made a big and positive impact on my whole feeling of true happiness. Especially since I know too, how extremely empty one can feel, when being depressed.
       
       Finding my true love however came in a period in my life, in which I was already very stable and happy from inside. This made a huge difference to the extra happiness I felt later on. It became more solid and it was stronger from the beginning.
       
       The writing part I understand very well too! Hubpages can be the road to salvation! I have grown as a person and I've learned to believe in myself, by accidentally stumbling upon this community:-)

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    Cagsilposted 11 years ago

    Why are you happy? Because I choose to be.

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       Daughter Of Maatposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Right on! I think you do have to choose to be happy. Things always go wrong in life, and everyone feels down sometimes, but you have to pick yourself back up and decide if you want life to control how you feel, or you control how you feel about your life. I choose the latter.

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       Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I like that simple way of answering my question!
       
       I do think, picking yourself back up, for people suffering from depression can be quite a task and much more complicated than it sounds like.
       
       I've been there, seeing no light at the end of the tunnel, out of touch with my emotions and almost impossible to get through another day.
       
       To decide to seek help, start therapy and accept medication, is the action one should undertake. For those who never experienced such state of mind, it's hard to imagine why depressed people don't act.
       
       If happiness would be just a simple choice, depression would not exist and would not be able to paralyze one's power to choose what's best or how to escape from such an overwhelming feeling of impotence.
       
       Yet, I wish it would be this simple and easy. Happiness as a choice for anyone in this world.

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          Cagsilposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Good to know.
          I guess that would depend on whether or not the depression is actually a medical problem or something brought on my oneself?
          Yes, I know what it is like to live with someone who is depressed or suffering from depression. But, as I said, it depends.
          Help, yes. Therapy, if necessary. Medication, only if medical/clinical depression is the actual assessment. Otherwise, no on the medication.
          Not true. But, you're welcome to believe what you want.
          Actually, it's much larger than that. It stems from ignorance. Happiness is a state of mind, if it is truly reinforced by one's own knowledge and wisdom, which needs to be self realized(increased awareness of self and understanding of self) then they will grow enough to move aside their depression.
          Unfortunately, it is that simple/easy. It's all the distortion and misinformation which influences people that is causing the damage.
          Yes.

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             Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             I am referring to depression as a medical problem. I am Bipolar. I need medication. Simple and life saving even. Long and complicated story but a serious mental illness. One that needs treatment.
             
             Have you ever been diagnosed as clinically depressed a side from having witnessed it from close by? There is a big difference in seeing it or experiencing it from inside.
             
             I agree with you on the ignorance, one's knowledge, wisdom and awareness. Intelligence is an important aspect in this all. Some just don't have the capacity to create enough awareness. To grow and move aside from their depression.
             
             Medical or not. It's always easier to advice or observe from the outside if you've never been down that road. I wish you never will. No one should have to suffer from depression in general.

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                Cagsilposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                Clinical depression must be treated with some sort of therapy/help. I will agree on that.
                I know a lot of people who are diagnosed with Bipolar and they do not need medication. They refused medication from doctors. And, what do you know, they are now normal as me or anyone else.
                Please quit with putting "bipolar" in the same sentence of those who suffer from serious mental illnesses. People with serious mental illness are more a danger to themselves and other people. Those with bipolar? Who knows.
                No. The last thing I am willing to do is let any pathetic doctor to examine my brain, for whatever symptoms they subjectively look for. I have witnessed depression because I live with my mother who is presently taking two separate medicines to combat her depression.
                If you say so. I go through times where I do get depressed, but it doesn't happen too often. No one can be positive all the time and anyone attempting to do so will only drive themselves mad.
                Good to know.
                BS. Intelligence was specific created to separate people based on a specific criteria. I've known people who are less educated than myself, but were more intelligent in certain aspects than some of the people who have multiple degrees accredited to their name.
                Awareness isn't you create. It is something which comes from self realization of self and the world that individual lives in.
                It's not easier, if you don't know what you're looking for to start off.
                Suffer from depression? It's a negative aspect one has to learn from so it can be defeated, just like anything else.

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                   Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                   Thanks for responding again:-) It's ok to differ from opinion about Bipolar Disorder as in being a serious mental illness.
                   
                   It's true I am a danger to society or myself if I don't take my medication and live my life a certain way. That's why it's so important to take this illness so serious.
                   
                   To try to stay positive all the time, to feel a little depressed once in a while or to be diagnosed with clinical depression are 3 very different ways of experiencing a mood.
                   
                   As I said before. We differ from opinion. I respect yours but I disagree with some of your points made. Yet, I'M HAPPY we can add all this to the original question.
                   
                   Thanks for joining in Cagsil:-) I truly love a discussion like this.

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    brittanytoddposted 11 years ago

    Escobana, it is so interesting to see everyone's responses to your question.  Right now, I am working at a horrible job where I am getting paid so little (and if I am forced to work overtime, not paid for it) in Los Angeles.  I have been so unhappy there and since my husband hasn't found work, I felt like I was stuck.  So, last weekend I made a huge change.  I applied to some jobs back in Hawaii (where I was raised) and got offered one for $20/hr!  I am giving my two weeks notice tomorrow and heading back to the islands.
    
    I always say that you cannot progress without change and you can't change your life without a little stress, but being happy is the most important part of living because a happy person is more motivated to find success.  Thanks for reading about me and have a wonderful day!

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       Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Wow!!! Good for you!!! Your actions made your life a lot more comfortable instead of staying in the same situation.
       
       Change is the key to personal growth. To another level in life. To success. The energy some changes cost, overcoming the basic fear of change in general, will be worth it in the long run.
       
       I wish you a happy change in life and I would love to hear about your job on the islands!

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    Sparkle Chiposted 11 years ago

    I am happy because I choose to be happy.
    
    I suffered for 21 years with clinical depression.
    
    Then I learned that happiness is a choice. It took a few years of everyday struggle and practice, but I have learned to choose happiness. That does not mean that I am happy all the time, no matter what happens. Simply that I can return to happiness when I choose to.
    
    Happiness is the natural state we are born in.

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       Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Powerful woman you are! It takes a lot of effort to get out of any depression, let alone when it takes that long!
       
       It truly is a gift when you learn how to return back to happiness, when you lost track. Loved your answer!

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    rebekahELLEposted 11 years ago

    What a wonderful post, Sparkle Chi! You climbed up and out. Happiness truly is a state of being.

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    Hamlet FEposted 11 years ago

    Happy...Actually after reading wonderful post and replies.

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    Thelma Albertsposted 11 years ago

    I am happy because I am healthy and have everything I want in my life. No stress at all. Thanks GOD about  my blessings.

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       mts1098posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Well said and I copy that...I will add that I have no reason to be unhappy...)

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    carol7777posted 11 years ago

    I am happy because I think it is a personal choice.  We all have issues in life but we can find something wonderful each day to rejoice about.  No matter how good life is it is never easy. I feel happy because I am healthy, have a good relationship with my husband.  I love writing, painting, biking,reading and cooking plus a gazillion other things. I am happy when I wake up and jump out of bed. One way to help the happiness issue is to write down on paper all you have to be happy with.

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       Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I like the idea of writing about your happiness. That way it´s even more visual. And you´re right about life. It is never easy.
       
       If it was too easy, we wouldn´t appreciate all the beautiful little things we accomplish in life:-)

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          carol7777posted 11 years agoin reply to this

          You are absolutely right...Life does have its moments.

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    AshtonFireflyposted 11 years ago

    Interesting question.
      At the current situation in my life, I'm not very happy at all. Not that there aren't small things that make me happy, ever now and then. Such as the kitten curled up in a little ball on the couch lying next to me. Or watching psychological thriller movies with my boyfriend. But all in all, I always seem to have a heaviness, or feeling of sadness, about me.
      I think everyone's goal in life is to be happy. But not everyone does the same thing to achieve it. As for myself, I am still attempting to find out what makes me truly happy. It's my own personal quest. I've experienced a lot of things and met a lot of people and achieved quite a few successes but have never really felt genuine happiness. I am beginning to think that happiness is not acquired through obtaining some material object or even a positive life experience; but that we choose happiness based on a conscious mental effort to do so, simply because we are tired of being unhappy. I can honestly say I have never been genuinely happy in my entire life. I'm 24 years old and have quite had enough of not being happy. I'm determined to be happy so I've determined that I will be and it's a conscious choice. Perhaps this is not the correct way, but...I will find out if it works, I suppose.

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       Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Happiness is a state of mind which I only found some years ago. Three years ago really. I´m 38 now so you can imagine how long it took for me to say I´m genuinely happy.
       
       It´s something I´ve always longed for but looking back on my life now, I quite recently discovered REAL happiness. I compare my state of happiness with several stages in life and I can see clearly, moving to Spain has been a key moment in life.
       
       It´s was more than a fresh start. It became home for me. Valencia became home, a feeling I wasn´t familiar with. When you never really felt at home, in the city you live, the country you live in or the relationship you have with your honey....happiness is not as profound as it could be.
       
       I had to find this all out through life of course. You will too:-)
       
       Blessings to you!

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          AshtonFireflyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Thank you for your reply. I'm glad you've found happiness; not many people I know can say that they have achieved happiness. I'm glad you have and I wish you all the best in your life journey

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    chitradileepposted 11 years ago

    Yeah, I am happy because today is my first day in Hubpages and today only I came to know about this site. I am exploring.
    Otherthan that in life, I will be happy when my dear and near ones are around me and having lot of fun together.

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       prettydarkhorseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Welcome to HP!

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       Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Welcome to HP indeed! Hope you´ll enjoy your time here as much as I do! Exploring HP can be very addictive:-)

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    SoManyPathsposted 11 years ago

    I am happy to be healthy and alive as well as understanding situations and turning it into a positive.

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       Escobanaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Always a very great talent to have....turning situations into something positive. I wish you lots of happiness and beautiful adventures in life:-)

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