Happiness Becoming a Myth
hope everyone is having a wonderful day. Everyone deserves happiness, and happiness deserves everyone. Hope none are having a down or distressful day.
I can't help but feel happiness is becoming a figment of our imagination. Everyone's goal in life is to be happy, so why does it seem so unobtainable. Admittedly, things are still weighing heavy on me today. Essentially, I've lost one friends, and quite possibly the second close friend in about 12 hours. For the record neither are death related thankfully. My life's a constant struggle of work to work 50-80 hours. There also seems to always be an aura of impending depression.
That being said, this is not a hate post. One friends doesn't have a choice, while the other, she has her reasons, I can respect. I choose to work the hours I put in each week. So, who can I point blame towards but myself? No one, of course. So what was the point?
"What is happiness to you? What is sadness.?" We can make a few obvious observations of happiness equating to an uplifting feeling, a bounce, or positive connotation, while sadness equating to a downward spiral, dragging, or negative connotation. One line has been blurred worse than any other in my opinion. People have experienced enough sadness or hurt throughout life . Why would anyone find sadness pleasurable? Therefore, happiness should be seen everywhere. It is what, we all as human hope to achieve. Then why, is the world NOT a big ole ball of happy?
Human sentience could have a good argument. We all have a way of thinking that is different from any other. Our minds have been trained like any other animal to act and react to situations, our instincts honed so sharp by life's experiences we are even able to overpower our fight or flight.
Another possibility, is just the massive amounts of people on the earth. With billions, and no indication of slowing, personal space in societies become non-existant. Yes close quarter will cause conflicts. Not only is it population but life expectancy is getting longer. This just adding to an increase.
Ok so both could cause a rift in society and a decrease in, "a life of happiness." To me though, it's seems like a high amount of the population is basically addicted to the pleasures we take for granted. Allow me to elaborate, as technology progressed a singular goal is to consume less energy to produce more work. Better efficiency for whatever the technology at hand. In survival situation that's the perfect mentality. With technology ever expanding, it conserves more and more. Couple that with a population that has reached borderline overpopulation status.
Thst makes sense, but how is that addicted? In my youth, I developed a few habits that grew with time. Once those habits are established, then remove them, from the equation is a recipe for disaster. With all the new technologies coming out daily, they substitute for drugs or habits in a sense.
Now consider if our generation were to reverted 100 years ago. Many would be completely lost in the same place they grew up. A product of the generation or Age we live in. Once your body and minds become so accustomed to a specific reality, it also becomes robot like, a steady repetition using muscle memory instead of building strong.
How does this involve happiness? A person could have all these yet still be happy. I harsh reality of someone ridding the body of toxins are the side effects. The sickness, the pains, but more importantly the depression and subsequent battle of willpower. None of these attribute to a happiness but are more counter-intuitive.
So yes. I think happiness as an emotion is going extinct. The technology has everyone become robots essentially. When a job gets done there is no sense of accomplishment anymore. That is what kept me going back, seeing abhor well done. A borderline overpopulation just feeds he needs for More technologies and it spirals to a constant state of unhappiness.
Just because I believe that doesn't mean I don't attempt for happiness. Here's a few things I do to battle that depressive black cloud lurking.
Be diverse. I don't want to paint technology in a sole negative light. Many things are accomplished through advancements. I try staying diverse with knowledge from any spectrum. The brain is a muscle so use it accordingly.
Random acts of Kindness I've always love this phrase pay it forward. It shows a compassion for the human race as an entirety and not segregrating by any form. You brighened someone's day it could even influence someone else's to make a positive change.
Surround Yourself with Positive. By now we all know what we like and brightens our day. We know the effect things have on our mood. So use that to subconciously bring you up.
Be supportive. Those around you directly effect your mood. I've just always found being in a supportive state of mind helps lighten to load and mood for any situation. Plus keeps your mind focused and things tat could negatively effect you.
Keep moving forward. This has become my mantra. There will be days we can't control. Things outside the realm of our control or day we just can't get that mindset. For me I just keep reminding myself keep moving forward because tomorrow is a new day.
-Bran
Great post! Work on yourself and those who appreciate you will follow you, those who don't understand it are not worth spending time in as they haven't taken the time to understand you and the troubles you're going through! Each person is unique, be unique!
Exactly with everything going on we all have to figure out what is best for us. Just some if my own thoughts
Oh man, I can pretty much relate to everything you just described. I just came home from graduate school abroad, and since I've been back I've felt pretty lost. I feel like I spent the last year and a half working; and when not working, wasting my time on drinking and other addictions (computer included), rather than making new friends and experiences. I mean yeah I did things, and I made a few friends (drinking buddies), but I feel like it was kinda a waste. Now that I'm home I feel disconnected from my "old" friends and can't relate to them at all; on top of that, I'm in the process of trying to find a new job, which is stressing me out.
But I couldn't agree more with the advice your giving, life is an adventure, not a burden; and when things seem bad then its an opportunity to switch things up a bit. Stay moving, and stay motivated.
This was kinda the first touch into some of the more personal details. A test the waters if you will. I've battled all kinds of issues from drug addiction. To depression to just hating myself. But it's the only life we got to live so I try sharing my bad choices and screw ups along the way in hopes I'm a positive influence on ar least one person
Same here, alcohol, drugs, depression, relationship problems, the whole 9. Sometimes its just helpful to know that others have been through similar experiences. I think sharing can help others make better choices, but it can also be a form of catharsis as well.
I find it a way theraputic. It gets the thoughts into a way I can see them and analyze what I'm thinking. That really helps me too.
The search for happiness is elusive for many. People want instant gratification and a big rush of endorphins and it doesn’t always work that way, Happiness can be found in the first breaths of sling in the air, a full moon in the night sky, a smile from a child, a wag of a tail or satisfaction in a job well done. Those little glimpses permeate into your being you just have to make the choice to enjoy the moment.
Now who's the poet?