<p>Okay, so i was reading this article that said America was one of the unhappiest countries. The surprising thing is that America is also one of the richest. Well, that sounds reasonable to me. I mean this country is so inclined towards achieving. There is too much talking of becoming the best and less thanking for what we have. I have seen the people who are happiest are not the richest or smartest. My secret to becoming happy is being thankful for all the stuff we are and not always trying to get more. In other words, staying modest. So, the purpose of this thread is nothing; it is just my opinion on happiness and you guys can either give your opinion or make a list of the things you are grateful for which in turn will make you happier. :) :)</p>
<p>On average, Americans also have half the vacation time of Europeans etc.</p>
<p>yeah I saw that on something about how denmark is the happiest and it's because they have low expectations accompanied with universal health care and free university</p>
<p>yes, but Americans also neglect their values and cover them with things not of value. Like on average, when Americans have family time, it is not really family time; you often see parents talking on the phone, preparing for work tomorrow, or doing something of that sort.</p>
<p>exactley, how americans have this image of the american dream which is made of material items while people in denmark don't care how much money they have as long as they are happy and spend time with their families</p>
<p>last year my mom cancelled my spring vacation because she had to go to taiwan for buisiness at the last minute. It was a party at an opening bank and the vacation was supposed to be "make up" time for never being around. The thing is that I have friends whose dad lives in europe and whose mom works across the country monday-friday, so I can't exactley complain</p>
<p>yeah roses&clovers i like your attitude. Your mom cancelled your vacation; however, you thought about other people ( your friends ) who have harder stuff to deal with which in turn, im guessing, made you happier?
materialistic things do not bring happiness until your inner self is happy with it self, completely agree ^^^</p>
<p>I'm happy I'm alive, honestly.
I'm one of those people that are scared of dying, but I feel I'm already really lucky to have experienced life, you know?</p>
<p>unhappiness is the human norm, according to freud. we face attacks from three fronts threatening our happiness: from nature (sickness, cold weather, death), from others (I shouldn't have to explain this one), and from ourselves (self-criticism, deriding oneself). Ironically, love brings the greatest happiness while also inflicting the greatest pain if it goes awry (a sample of why I believe nature and the world are fully balanced [to cite the philosophies of Ben Franklin and Deism]).</p>
<p>finding happiness is a personal endeavor unrelated to one's circumstances. while facing elements that take away from our instantaneous happiness can make achieving a constant state of happiness more difficult, the process of achieving this deep-seated sense of fulfillment comes not from any external sources; instead, it depends on one's self-image, perspective on life, and degree of optimism.</p>
<p>I have never met a happy pessimist.</p>
<p>But that's just what I think...it's different for everyone, I suppose.</p>
<p>playing golf makes me happy (and frustrated when i suck but happy in the long run) and getting new clubs makes me happier. driving with the windows down and music blasting makes me happy. not having school makes me happy. golf makes me happy.</p>
<p>can u post a link to the article??</p>
<p>I don't think that happiness can be permanently achieved, but it's possible to be happy a majority of the time (after all, you can only live for so long in happiness before the world gets in the way). The best thing is to take an optimistic approach to life. </p>
<p>I'm happy about a lot of things in my life. My family, friends, and teachers make me happy because they're supportive and (for family and friends) always there. Doing things that I love makes me happy, such as skiing, writing, and reading. So does listening to music. When I'm upset I usually do one of the aforementioned things (with the exception of skiing...).</p>
<p>There's nothing in particular I'm happy about. I just can't find any reason in particular to be unhappy.</p>