Moderated by
Jennifer Patterson, LMFT
Art Therapist
Life can be messy. Sometimes you need a little support to make your way through it. I love to help guide people through their challenges & to find the beauty in our messes.
Top Rated Answers
True happiness can come from anything at anytime! True happiness is experiencing laughter, having the most wonderful time and you just can’t stop smiling and thinking happy thoughts! Sometimes, understand when you feel happy can be difficult if you cannot find any offers that do make you happy, but fear not! There is always a way for you to feel happy with yourself, no matter how you want to do it! True happiness can be different for everyone, and that is fine! The general idea of it though it all about joy, and having a fun time. If you are feeling that you may never feel happy again, please feel free to chat to a listener, or maybe you can talk to someone else about it, and they will know how to make you happy!
I think that everything is relative. For me, I would define happiness as not actively depressed. I know what deep depression feels like for me, so any time I don't feel that, I consider myself happy. The less I feel of that, the happier I am. The word truly is somewhat elusive for me, I will admit. I am still working on that I suppose. I think for me, it will involve no longer questioning everything that I do and being okay in a place of not knowing and not being mad at myself about that.
Anonymous
March 6th, 2020 2:08am
I know if I'm truly happy if I become jittery and start crying happy tears. Sometimes I start laughing uncontrollably. Also, if I'm truly happy then that means I'm in the moment because only when I'm in the moment, I can feel that overwhelming happiness. Whenever those moments happen I engrave them in my memory so that I can replay them whenever I want in my mind. It won't get me to that same level of happiness but it will make me happy. I also make sure that I appreciate every second of that moment that I am truly happy because they don't happen often.
So, it's true that there's problems in our life, but that doesn't mean we can't be happy anymore. The future is waiting for us and let the past go with the past. Do the things you like but in the good way and be sure that it will be safe for you and others. Make a time to talk to yourself and rethink about every thing before you do it. Delete every memory or anything that remember you in the past or that makes you feel bad. Look at the good way and see there's a lot can make you happy.
you can just feel it, you know it when you stop asking yourself when you will be happy, you will know when your not hurting, you will know when you love yourself, you will know when you not faking it anymore, you will know when tears of hurt turn to tears of joy, you will know when your truly happy, it is all in the feeling, you will never always be happy but learning to let it out and communicate to people, its all in the feeling, you will never know until you reach your final chapter and you reflect on your life
So, how do we know if we are truly happy I guess one idea would be that we could base our happiness around our present although some like to think about their future. Like, you may think you might be happy in the future but you forget to live in the moment and enjoy it.
For example, I look forward to seeing my family but I have a lot I could do today look at my dog, talk to my husband or the neighbor.
Like you can think true happiness could be enjoying the smallest things in life like having a place to stay, food to eat a place to sleep things like that.
Another idea could be being happy with who you are for example, accepting whether you are a quiet person, the way you look and your family things like that.
For me, I always ask myself, "What am I missing in my life that I can't control?" Most of the time I respond to myself that I am in control and if I need something to fulfill a hole in my life, then I know that I can go get. As long as I am not obtaining that missing piece at the expense of another human being. I've been through a lot in my life and yes I've been unhappy. But, I have to point myself in the right direction for my wants and needs. When I do that and am not taking advantage of another person, then that is when I realize I am happy, because I end up doing it for my self-care.
Anonymous
April 16th, 2020 6:31am
Our true happiness define by our peace of mind.
when our mind is not wondering here and there finding solution of our problems ,making pre amsumptions.
Making mind away from any kind of stress bring peace inside and thats thing make you truely happy. Other thing is our desires, Our actual happiness is not about desires but the fulfillment of needs in life. When as a person u have learned what is difference between your needs and wants .Automatically you have learned your way to Happiness.
Not seeking materialistic world and money as your priority but small happiness in life.Be happy .
There are no guidelines of being happy. And I believe that one can experience multiple emotions at once. You can be happy while you are feeling sad or anxious because we are not robots. We are humans. Also, even at your darkest moments, there is always a little something that would make you happy. You are happy, if you love yourself and capable of saying to yourself that “This is only temporary, just like everything else in life and I have the power to cope with it.†Most of the time, you are much more happier than you think you are.
Anonymous
May 9th, 2020 5:38pm
Happy people are not immune to life's hardships. They go through rough waters like everyone else. However, happy people know when to reach out and ask for help. There are just few moments where you wish for time to freeze, the times where you wish to relive a moment again and again, for a moment just not to end. If there was a mirror right in front of you it would feel honored to see the most extravagant curve on your face. At the end of the day, it all sums up to how one perceives itself. And one holds the strength to be happy.
Anonymous
May 24th, 2020 2:20am
Those who are truly happy are able to sit with discomfort. They feel their feelings as they come up, without judgment or shame. True happiness should be in your control; no one person or thing should determine whether or not you are truly happy. Happy people feel confident in themselves and are not too worried about what other people think about them. Happy people are also brave enough to say what they're truly feeling. When you're not consumed with worrying about what others think of you, you have a lot more time for the things that matter to you. Happy people use that time to pursue the activities they love.
Anonymous
May 27th, 2020 9:19pm
When you feel like you are in charge, and can control your emotions. You are proud of yourself and know the importance of self care and kindness. You can feel comfortable talking to other people, like your friends or family. You are truly happy if you are confident in all that you do, and you don’t feel judged by other people. You are truly happy if you can one hundred percent believe in yourself. You are motivated to become a better person, and you are not afraid to note down your mistakes, to reflect on your past experiences. And you are truly happy if you completely love yourself, regardless of your imperfections.
Anonymous
June 17th, 2020 9:19pm
If you are truly happy, you are satisfied with those in your life. You may not be the richest or the prettiest, but you cannot think of anything that you would change about your life. You know you have people (friends, family, etc) supporting you and your life choices, and these people will stand by you no matter what happens. Your problems or bumps on the road of life seem minimal with these people's support, and you will feel like you can achieve anything. Happiness also comes with people who make you smile or laugh, even when you're feeling down.
Happiness is an abstract idea -this is how it seems to me- and its definition is open to discussion.
Things that make people happy are things/situations/feelings/people who make them feel, smile, be authentic. And so many more!
If something/someone makes you feel good and you want to continue doing it -such as an activity, hobby- or be around them if we are talking about a person.
For me personally, happiness is not a virtue that you acquire after hard work but a feeling-mostly- that makes me wanna live more.
Discover your passions, don’t be afraid of failure, trust your instincts.
Good luck! ;)
Anonymous
July 4th, 2020 4:28am
I think you know you're truly happy when you realize only you need to be proud of how you've become. You're no longer searching for validation from someone else. You recognize that you are the best version of yourself that you can be. Also, you know you're happy when you're grateful for the things you have and you can laugh off inconveniences and keep moving forward. Criticisms don't strike as deep as they used to. You feel lighter than you used to. You find yourself not having to put in a great amount of effort to laugh with other people. You know you're truly happy when you're proud of yourself and you know that life really is worth living, and that the simple things are what make it so special.
When you are not thinking of being happy or sad, but you are in a state of mind which is at peace with the surrounding, that to me is a state of being happy.
When the morning coffee you are making is not tedious but enjoyable, you know that you are happy.
Basically, you know that you are truly happy when you are not worried about being happy.
When you have accepted the fact that life is a ride full of ups and downs and you treat every struggle, every task with equal excitement as you showed the first time, you know that you are truly happy.
Although being happy is very subjective, I have tried my best to put it into words for you.
Keep Smiling :)
Happiness is truly the absence of unhappy events and anxiety. Most of the time, it is a quiet feeling with no particular concern about anything. Happiness is also felt in the moment, when an activity or a situation brings you joy for a while. Happiness is really a social construct and a lot of people end up thinking that it is a goal in life, when in fact no-one is truly happy for a long time. It also has to do with personality. Some people are optimistic, curious and easily satisfied with their lot so their perception of a happy moment occurs more often.
I think true happiness only exists within. I have been happy doing a lot of activities or being around certain people but I discovered true happiness when I was not longer doing the activities and when the people left. I was still truly happy within and able to continually pick myself up and carry on with my life. True happiness is not always easy to maintain and I believe it requires a lot of mindfulness and determination but it is not impossible to attain either. True happiness will always carry you through the bad days and it will remind you that even though you are in a valley a hilltop is coming very soon.
Anonymous
July 17th, 2020 7:41am
When the things around you don't feel like a chore. When you look at someone you care about and still feel that same love toward them. When you can look at yourself in the mirror, smile and mean it. When you know you are worth it, when you allow yourself to understand you deserve the best in the world. When motivating yourself to do anything doesn't feel like the hardest thing in the world to do. When you can tell someone or tell yourself that you love them and really mean what you say. When the things that made you happy, don't make you feel like you're drowning.
When I am happy, it's usually when I am feeling really present in the moment. It doesn't mean that there aren't stressors in my life or things that aren't great, but rather, I am able to appreciate the things I do have. Showing gratitude for the small things helps me avoid the feeling that I am without or missing out. When I do need to face those stressors, it's okay to feel other things other than happy, but I am able to process those feelings and return to a more positive outlook afterward. Being truly happy isn't a permanent state but rather just a temperament that we can all work towards.
Anonymous
July 30th, 2020 12:30pm
I believe that happiness if defined differently with different people. What do you do that makes yourself happy and are you able to do that? How much does it affect you if you aren't able to do it? As one of the few questions one could ask themselves. I used to think that being the best or better than other people makes me happy but I now realise, what is the point of being the so called 'best'. It doesn't really affect my life; nothing really has changed after recieving the temporary 'better' or 'worst' title. Being able to find what makes you happy in the long term would be great, for instance: being able to spend time with family or even as simple as hanging out with friends. You are the creator of your happiness and I believe you are and will be happy.
Anonymous
August 6th, 2020 2:52am
The answer is very simple when you are satisfied with your present, do not dwell in the past, don't worry about the future only focussed on living fully in the present. When you are not managing your life but enjoying it because in this rush we forget to enjoy all we are doing is managing our life. A famous saying by Aristotle that "Happiness depends upon ourselves." so it is a fact, if you are satisfied by inside that whatever you are doing is giving you peace and calmness to your mind when you are truly happy. Happiness is a feeling that's common to lots of experiences.
True happiness can be difficult to achieve and even once you are truly happy it can be hard to recognize. It is also something that is defined by each individual and what you value. Look inwards and determine what makes you feel the most complete and whether achieving those things will fulfill you. Your happiness does not necessarily come in the same form as your friends or family. For some, it is watching their plants grow and bloom, for others its solving a difficult questions, in others its completing a physical challenge. The gratification you get from achievement can be immense if your heart is in it.
You can know when you are really happy because the whole persona changes. Your perception of life and people become more upbeat. There is a feeling of inner peace and joy that not only you can feel but it radiates out in the world and the atmosphere vibrations that you generate. You won't have to ask this question you will just know.
First of all, I would have to ask you to define what you consider happiness to be. Everyone does not define it the same way there for their explanations differ, causing their expectation will differ. Happiness does not depend on others it is something we have to do ourselves. Happiness is an emotion that is subject to change from one moment to another
Anonymous
November 15th, 2020 9:24pm
Happiness comes from within. If you are optimistic and have a positive attitude no matter what the situation, I think that is a sign that you know you are truly happy. Being happy because of factors outside of yourself might give you the feeling of happiness but it might not really signal true happiness which comes from within ourselves. If we are truly happy then we can contribute to other's happiness as well. Being truly happy is a state of being rather than being characterized by things or outside factors. You can be truly happy and not have material things to show for.
Self-control, and patience Happiness is being happy in your life. We experience it immediately and in the moment.
Life satisfaction is being happy about your life. It is the happiness that exists when we talk about the past and the big picture. Friends
Having a lot of close friends boosts life satisfaction by nearly 20%.
Having more close friendships was associated with a 19 percent greater life satisfaction and a 23 percent greater sense of optimism. – Richburg 1998. Positive feelings about neighbors have been found to be associated with a 16 percent greater life satisfaction and a 25 percent lower likelihood of experiencing feelings of loneliness.
Anonymous
November 28th, 2020 1:36pm
Good Question.
I believe, True Happiness is independent of external factors. It is dependent on how we feel irrespective of what's going on around.
So, if you wanna know whether you're truly happy or not, put yourself in different situations. If you feel comfortable in all of them, you are 'truly happy'.
Now, what are different situations?
1) Go to a place where you don't have to spend any money (like a park) and a place where you have to spend a lot (a fancy hotel)
2) Spend time alone (like journaling) and with people (party)
3) Learn something new
4) Volunteer for something
5) Etc
If you feel comfortable in all different situations, you have the answer 😇
Anonymous
December 9th, 2020 6:19am
I think that is a loaded question so my answer will include many things. Personally, I think happiness is finding joy in the little things in life. This is appreciating and being grateful for what you have. This includes cherishing the healthy relationships you have, wanting to share your happiness with others and celebrating other people's successes as well as your own. I think to know if you are truly happy, you know how to calm yourself down when you are stressed out. This means that you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses and embrace them as a part of your identity.
Anonymous
December 11th, 2020 2:57pm
The most common way that researchers use to assess happiness is through self-reports, because happiness has a different meaning for each person and is associated to different things. But some of the most common factors are: psychological well-being, health, relationships with friends and family , and living standards. If you take an overall view of your life , thinking of this aspects , How do you feel?
Feeling satisfied with this aspects of your life are a good indicator that you are living a healthy happy life.
Remember that happiness is multidimensional; it cannot be measured on a single scale, so don't compare yourself to others and just focus on yourself and your own way of living.
Anonymous
December 30th, 2020 1:44am
Happiness is a fleeting feeling. Life is not about making happiness a goal or destination point. Life is a collection of moments and things that make you happy. To know if you are happy look at your life. Are you happy with your family, friends, job, living situation? Try looking at those main focal points of your life. If they aren't making you happy then look for new ways to change you life. Happiness is also gratitude and content. If those main focal points of your life make you feel grateful for what you have and what you built then you have true happiness.
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