both. you choose to be happy, but other people can really help it along!
95% of the time yes.
yes.
yes always. no matter what. that’s a part of human nature, i think. it’s built in. like choice.
Happiness is generally contingent upon one’s surroundings. Contentment is a choice. Joy is a choice. Happiness can be a choice, but is less often so.
All factors being equal, yes. Unfortunately, sometimes the factors aren’t equal…
To a great extent, yes. Joy is even more of a choice, but I have found on many occasions that I can make a conscious decision to enjoy myself regardless of the circumstances.
well you have to choose things that are going to make you happy in the end, so yes.
yes, but you can still be surprised by joy.
Mostly
yes, we have a choice to change our attitude. disappointment is normal, but acceptance and positive outlook is something we have control over.
ya, ‘course
true happiness? doesnt “just happen” usually.
always has been.
There are a lot of things that are a choice – it’s possible to be content,joyful,keep a positive attitude in any situation. But happiness is more subjective. Anyone who tells me to be happy on days of being constantly nauseous from pain and difficulty breathing will probably get a slap in the face, and I know I have it easy compared to a lot of people. However, as someone whose joy and peace comes from my relationship with Jesus Christ, joy in any situation is a blessed experience that is entirely possible.
sometimes it is.
i think it is, in a sense. then again, i’m always surprised to find that i’m happy.
-shrugs-
People don’t usually wake up thinking, “I wanna be sad today.”
Nope.
yeah, but it’s also a choice to be fucking annoyed with the people who constantly lecture me about my bad attitude.
No…true happiness just happens when you least expect it, it’s kinda perfect that way…you can’t want it, it has to want you o.O
Oh yeah!
I think that our choice is how we opt to see things,such as if water spills on the floor,you can be irritated or use it as an opportunity to do a quick clean of your floor.There are so many things that come down to choices. Depression and other issues and illnesses inhibit our ability to be happy so it is not always a chioce.
Show me the money and I will be happy.
Not always, unfortunately.
somewhat yes..
I think a lot of the way you feel is based on the messages you send yourself, but not entirely.
Ask someone who is happy.
You can choose choices that lead you to feel happiness. Things can happen out of your control that cause happiness. The same for just about any other emotion.
I say it’s definitely a choice, I used to be sad all the time but I learned how to see beauty and perfection in anything.
Most of the time.
sometimes.
yup
always… but it is harder to rise above the hardship and live a positive, optimistic life
nope, happy people are born that way.
ryc: thank you! it’s been something i’ve been struggling with the past few months. it’s kind of rare for me to express stuff in writing like that, but i thought it fit. yes, i’m an mk. we’ve been off the field for a year and a half now… so there’s still some transition going on with how i really fit into american culture. it’s good though. it brings a lot of growth.
Yeah, but your head/circumstances can make it more difficult.
Joy is a choice; happiness rides the rollercoaster of circumstances.
Yes…You make the most of what you’ve got. ”Life is like a piano, you get what you put into it and how you play it”.
complicated..
Yeah, mostly.
No, if you chase happpiness it will elude you. If you do the right thing andfollow your conscience it will chase you and every now and again it will find you.
yes it is
joy is another story
It can be. It can also NOT be a choice.
No. Sadly it is out of our control. Before we realize what we are doing, we irreperably place our happiness on other people’s shoulders. Our relationship with them will always taint our happiness. Also, event out of our control change how happy we are.
I choose to smoke pot. Smoking pot makes me happy.
it depends on the situation and the type of happiness addressed. some are based purely on outlook most of the time. bliss cannot ever be a choice.
yup…
i know people who just won’t let themselves be happy…
I’m never surprised when I’m happy, I work very hard to be that way. Ang
Not always. Doesn’t everyone want to be happy?
it depends if the mood changes..
yes, usually. having the right circumstances helps a little, too. [:
Jeez, if it wasn’t, would I still be here?
Sometimes.
happiness relies on your outside conditions and associations.
joy comes from the inside no matter your circumstances.
joy is optional…
not so much really the happiness.
sometimes
I think it’s a frame of thought, and highly subjective.
Don’t people say they just want to be happy? Then obviously it isn’t a choice. If your life’s shitty, its difficult to be happy.
Though I think happiness really comes in spurts
In a very extended sense, most of the time because people tend to steer their lives towards happy or unhappy outcomes as a result of their choices. On an immediate functional basis, no, it’s not simply a question of flipping on some imaginary giddiness switch regardless of your surroundings and circumstances.
I don’t think it’s a choice, per sae. If it was as simple as that, everyone would be happy and never pay attention to the drama and trials they have in life. I think happiness is a process made of choices. The choices you make in life can lead you to happiness more quickly and more effectively. I think it’s more luck than choice, though.
Heck ya!! If you’re going through a rough time or depressed or whatever it’s your decision to feel sorry for yourself rather than get over it.
not necessarily, but you can make choices, particularly in attitude, that lead to far more happiness
absolutely not. there are biochemical imbalances that make people sad.
semantics. happiness means different things to different people. to some it’s a choice, to others.. no way
no.
because when i’m really pissed off, i try to be happy and it doesn’t work. anyone that tells you this is a bunch of malarky.
It can be.
no.
nobody would willingly choose *this*
Yes, but sometimes you have to be an extremely twisted person to choose to be happy.
Happiness is overrated anyway.
Happiness isn’t a choice, but joy is.
well, i dont think you’re born that way.
haha . . . maybe
absolutely.
generally but it can be effected by chemical elements in the brain
Yes, mostly for adults but it’s not so much in aspects of happiness of children.
yes AND no….to a degree it’s up to the person…..but then there are those uncontrollable factors…..
errrrr no
i think its more of a feeling
sometimes yes, sometimes no.
then again, people need to morn and feel sad sometimes. makes feeling happy that much better.
Yes, indeed. Happiness can be reached based on our choice of life
Yes indeed. Happiness can be reached based on our choice of life.
Yes I think it is
I don’t think emotions are generally a choice. I don’t choose to get angry when my sister steals my clothes, I just do. I don’t choose to cry when I’m watching Forrest Gump, it just happens. So the same goes for happiness. But in the long run, if you’re talking about a more optimistic attitude toward life, that is a choice one can make. To change one’s perspective on what happens – yes, that is a choice.
yeah, its a part of it i do think….
maybe to a certain degree
yes. i just ended a relationship where i wasn’t happy. it was my choice to stay in it. i know still i am going to be unhappy until the problems with the breakup subside, but once they do, i am going to be much happier. and that is a choice i should have made a long long time ago.
To some extent. If you’re a person who has depression though, it’s hard to be happy because you’re body is missing some key chemicals the brain needs for mental stability.
no
that is all
yes
semantics, but…
i’m pretty sure Joy is a choice; happiness, not so much…
Partially.
90% attitude and 10% circumstances.
Yes and no.
I think it is. I know people that can be totally happy one second, and then someone gives them a dirty look and it totally ruins their week. Now, could they control the person that gave them the look? No. But, could they have smiled back at the person and gone on being happy? Sure!
Phillipians 4:12 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
Yeah, its all in your attitude.
yes and no. it is a choice to live a happy life, but there are a lot of factors involved in the day to day happiness. sometimes its a choice, and sometimes its not. wisdom is to know when you have the power to make yourself be happy and when its ok to not be happy.
It’s more of a perspective born of many choices, interactions, and abilities.
Exceptions would include getting caught in the middle of a war torn area or other traumas that are just too overwhelming and out of your control.
Happiness is not a choice, because it’s completely circumstancial, but JOY is.
i think the crazier you are the happier.
I am going to have to say rarely is happiness a choice, but JOY always is . . . .see my ‘tagline’ . . .
“I choose JOY . . . .it isn’t always an easy choice”
Yes I do.
By far is happiness a choice. The same way that feeling rage, jealousy, and depression is a choice. Though all those emotions can be broken down to biochemical actions within our brains, we have the choice to stay or change our rage, jealousy, depression and even happiness. Obviously, the more you stay in one mood, the more comfortable you become in it and the more it envelopes your entire outlook.
Happiness is not a choice, it’s a feeling that can be dictated by circumstance. Joy is a choice, and that’s what is biblical, not happiness.
I read a book that says rather than your facial expression being a result of your feelings, that your mood is effected by your facial expression. I haven’t tested it, but in theory then if you choose to smile all day, you actually will become happy.
depends on what your personality type is. i believe you’re in the limits of it in some respects. but in most circumstances i think you do have a choice.
Yes. It’s a much easier choice to make in certain situations over others, but you can always choose to look on the bright side, think positively, and be happy with your life.
yes, i’ve seen orphans in haiti laughing and playing and rich kids in America moping about. Sometimes it’s easier, but you can always choose to be happy.
if you choose to block out the bad and focus on something that you really want or enjoy you can always be happy. mind over matter
yep, we make the choice to count our blessings or focus on the mundane. Glass half-full or half-empty
It depends on what you mean by happiness. If you define happiness as an internal pleasure with one’s surroundings, then yes. No matter what is going on in your external environment you can choose to accept it as for the best. In fact, according to this definition happiness must be a choice. No matter how good your surroundings are you can still focus on the negative. For instance, have you ever had a good movie spoiled by a rude ticket sales worker? What they did is in the past and out of your external environment, but it remains part of your internal state. The same principle works with happiness: your happiness depends not on what is around you but on what you focus on.
happiness depends on what happens to you, but contentment can be a choice you make any time.
Happiness or joy? There’s a difference.
sometimes.
Yes. There are mitigating circumstances like chemical imbalances and such, but for the most art, an individual can choose to be satisfied and happy with their life. It is all a matter of perspective either way.
Definitely
only to a partial extent of how you look at things. But no matter how you look at shit, it never smells good.
Happiness can only be a choice, when we look into the issue of contentment i guessl. Learning to be contented with what you can have may grant one happiness, but ultimately, it is more than that that gives happiness.No one can define happiness accurately, it still comes as a fleeting feeling to me. Maybe, because i haven’t found happiness yet.
Sometimes.
Happiness is a state of mind. So yes.
No. Projecting a good mood is a choice. You can change your attitude, but not your state of heart.
True, inner happiness is something that happens on its own, you can’t just will it into being.
sometimes
I think it’s a huge part of it. Sometimes, things get overwhelming and you’ll get down regardless. But its up to the person if they pick themselves back up again, or let themselves wallow in their grief.
Happiness
a. State of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
b. Emotions experienced when in a state of well-being
Based on the first definition, yes, absolutely. Second definition, obviously no. Just in my own family, I can tell that contentment in one’s situation is certainly a choice.
I don’t think happiness is a choice. I think happiness is a result of our choices.
Very rarely. Your surroundings and situations control it. If something bad happens, you’re not going to be able to be happy.
yeah.
Not if you’re in depression. Then you’re involuntarily . . . well, depressed.
But I believe positivity is a choice and mostly happiness is spawned from positivity.
I’m not happy though. And its not really a choice. I dunno/
your outlook on things is a choice… but even with a positive attitude you can still be unhappy.
no, ive been trying to get happiness 4 years now, no luck
heyy can you add me to yo friends
I think some people are born more naturally happy then other people, just like some people are born funnier, or more outgoing or more reserved. I think that our thoughts have a strong impact on our behavior, so maybe we can learn to be more happy by limiting our negative thoughts.
To me, happiness is related to mindset. However, in the case of chemical imbalances like clinical depression, I think the individual does not have much of a choice.
yes, ive concluded that happiness is indeed a choice last summer.
and ive also realized that you read a million comments and probably disregard my replies, however that won’t hinder me.
REGARDLESS, i believe that happiness is indeed a choice. as humans, we are able to consciously choose how we look at the world. one can have a wonderfully brilliant life, but view it as scum. we’re able to make the decision whether or not we want to allow our circumstances to dictate our happiness.
it’s been one year, since i’ve made the decision to be happy. whatever circumstances, positive or negative, come my way, its all an experience.
life is so much easier when you decide not to let your circumstances dictate your happiness.
yes, mr. theologianscafe sir, i can honestly say i am happy.
It depends on your outlook on life. If you’re a pessimistic person, you can choose to be happy, but you will have problems finding the good in everything. If you’re optimistic (of which I’m trying to become more of) choosing to be happy is an after-thought. You will be able to see the ‘silver lining’.
Happiness is a choice, all though it’s not always appropriate.
“Yeah! I was fired!”
“Yay! My dog died!”
“Yay! G.W.Bush was re-elected a third time!”
sorry
Hmm for me it seems to be. But I may be neurologically different from everyone else.
Yes.
yes and no.
You have to be open to the possibility…
and just let it run it’s course when it comes.
Most of the time it just happens…
but if you are so down..or are not allowing yourself the freedom to be happy in one way or another….
then how can you truly feel happiness…
An equation:
H = S + C + V
Happiness is a combination of set point (50%; gene-environment interacation), circumstances (10%; climate, location, sociodemographics, things that one cannot control) and voluntary activity (40%).
I’d have to agree that about 40% of one’s happiness is based on choice, one’s own voluntary activities. I’ll be existenialistic for a moment and say that even sitting on one’s rump and not making a choice, is making a choice.
adapted from Martin Seligman’s Authentic Happiness
Yes.
Sometimes though, there are factors that affect your decision making for this particular subject.
Yes and no. Everyone WANTS to be happy, I think. It’s just people’s methods of finding it that make them unhappy, because they don’t always find the right way.
more than anything
A big yes on that !
It is often a result of our choices. Contentment, the real winner, is a result of our choices far and above our surroundings.
Comments (145)
Sometimes
yes!!!!!
Sometimes. There are a host of factors involved.
yes i do
both. you choose to be happy, but other people can really help it along!
95% of the time yes.
yes.
yes always. no matter what. that’s a part of human nature, i think. it’s built in. like choice.
Happiness is generally contingent upon one’s surroundings. Contentment is a choice. Joy is a choice. Happiness can be a choice, but is less often so.
All factors being equal, yes. Unfortunately, sometimes the factors aren’t equal…
To a great extent, yes. Joy is even more of a choice, but I have found on many occasions that I can make a conscious decision to enjoy myself regardless of the circumstances.
well you have to choose things that are going to make you happy in the end, so yes.
yes, but you can still be surprised by joy.
Mostly
yes, we have a choice to change our attitude. disappointment is normal, but acceptance and positive outlook is something we have control over.
ya, ‘course
true happiness?
doesnt “just happen” usually.
always has been.
There are a lot of things that are a choice – it’s possible to be content,joyful,keep a positive attitude in any situation. But happiness is more subjective. Anyone who tells me to be happy on days of being constantly nauseous from pain and difficulty breathing will probably get a slap in the face, and I know I have it easy compared to a lot of people. However, as someone whose joy and peace comes from my relationship with Jesus Christ, joy in any situation is a blessed experience that is entirely possible.
sometimes it is.
i think it is, in a sense. then again, i’m always surprised to find that i’m happy.
-shrugs-
People don’t usually wake up thinking, “I wanna be sad today.”
Nope.
yeah, but it’s also a choice to be fucking annoyed with the people who constantly lecture me about my bad attitude.
No…true happiness just happens when you least expect it, it’s kinda perfect that way…you can’t want it, it has to want you o.O
Oh yeah!
I think that our choice is how we opt to see things,such as if water spills on the floor,you can be irritated or use it as an opportunity to do a quick clean of your floor.There are so many things that come down to choices.
Depression and other issues and illnesses inhibit our ability to be happy so it is not always a chioce.
Show me the money and I will be happy.
Not always, unfortunately.
somewhat yes..
I think a lot of the way you feel is based on the messages you send yourself, but not entirely.
Ask someone who is happy.
You can choose choices that lead you to feel happiness. Things can happen out of your control that cause happiness. The same for just about any other emotion.
I say it’s definitely a choice, I used to be sad all the time but I learned how to see beauty and perfection in anything.
Most of the time.
sometimes.
yup
always… but it is harder to rise above the hardship and live a positive, optimistic life
nope, happy people are born that way.
ryc: thank you! it’s been something i’ve been struggling with the past few months. it’s kind of rare for me to express stuff in writing like that, but i thought it fit. yes, i’m an mk. we’ve been off the field for a year and a half now… so there’s still some transition going on with how i really fit into american culture. it’s good though. it brings a lot of growth.
Yeah, but your head/circumstances can make it more difficult.
Joy is a choice; happiness rides the rollercoaster of circumstances.
Yes…You make the most of what you’ve got. ”Life is like a piano, you get what you put into it and how you play it”.
complicated..
Yeah, mostly.
No, if you chase happpiness it will elude you. If you do the right thing andfollow your conscience it will chase you and every now and again it will find you.
yes it is
joy is another story
It can be. It can also NOT be a choice.
No. Sadly it is out of our control. Before we realize what we are doing, we irreperably place our happiness on other people’s shoulders. Our relationship with them will always taint our happiness. Also, event out of our control change how happy we are.
I choose to smoke pot. Smoking pot makes me happy.
it depends on the situation and the type of happiness addressed. some are based purely on outlook most of the time. bliss cannot ever be a choice.
yup…
i know people who just won’t let themselves be happy…
I’m never surprised when I’m happy, I work very hard to be that way. Ang
Not always. Doesn’t everyone want to be happy?
it depends if the mood changes..
yes, usually. having the right circumstances helps a little, too. [:
Jeez, if it wasn’t, would I still be here?
Sometimes.
happiness relies on your outside conditions and associations.
joy comes from the inside no matter your circumstances.
joy is optional…
not so much really the happiness.
sometimes
I think it’s a frame of thought, and highly subjective.
Don’t people say they just want to be happy? Then obviously it isn’t a choice. If your life’s shitty, its difficult to be happy.
Though I think happiness really comes in spurts
In a very extended sense, most of the time because people tend to steer their lives towards happy or unhappy outcomes as a result of their choices. On an immediate functional basis, no, it’s not simply a question of flipping on some imaginary giddiness switch regardless of your surroundings and circumstances.
I don’t think it’s a choice, per sae. If it was as simple as that, everyone would be happy and never pay attention to the drama and trials they have in life. I think happiness is a process made of choices. The choices you make in life can lead you to happiness more quickly and more effectively. I think it’s more luck than choice, though.
Heck ya!! If you’re going through a rough time or depressed or whatever it’s your decision to feel sorry for yourself rather than get over it.
not necessarily, but you can make choices, particularly in attitude, that lead to far more happiness
absolutely not. there are biochemical imbalances that make people sad.
semantics. happiness means different things to different people. to some it’s a choice, to others.. no way
no.
because when i’m really pissed off, i try to be happy and it doesn’t work. anyone that tells you this is a bunch of malarky.
It can be.
no.
nobody would willingly choose *this*
Yes, but sometimes you have to be an extremely twisted person to choose to be happy.
Happiness is overrated anyway.
Happiness isn’t a choice, but joy is.
well, i dont think you’re born that way.
haha . . . maybe
absolutely.
generally but it can be effected by chemical elements in the brain
Yes, mostly for adults but it’s not so much in aspects of happiness of children.
yes AND no….to a degree it’s up to the person…..but then there are those uncontrollable factors…..
errrrr no
i think its more of a feeling
sometimes yes, sometimes no.
then again, people need to morn and feel sad sometimes. makes feeling happy that much better.
Yes, indeed. Happiness can be reached based on our choice of life
Yes indeed. Happiness can be reached based on our choice of life.
Yes I think it is
I don’t think emotions are generally a choice. I don’t choose to get angry when my sister steals my clothes, I just do. I don’t choose to cry when I’m watching Forrest Gump, it just happens. So the same goes for happiness.
But in the long run, if you’re talking about a more optimistic attitude toward life, that is a choice one can make. To change one’s perspective on what happens – yes, that is a choice.
yeah, its a part of it i do think….
maybe to a certain degree
yes. i just ended a relationship where i wasn’t happy. it was my choice to stay in it. i know still i am going to be unhappy until the problems with the breakup subside, but once they do, i am going to be much happier. and that is a choice i should have made a long long time ago.
To some extent. If you’re a person who has depression though, it’s hard to be happy because you’re body is missing some key chemicals the brain needs for mental stability.
no
that is all
yes
semantics, but…
i’m pretty sure Joy is a choice; happiness, not so much…
Partially.
90% attitude and 10% circumstances.
Yes and no.
I think it is. I know people that can be totally happy one second, and then someone gives them a dirty look and it totally ruins their week. Now, could they control the person that gave them the look? No. But, could they have smiled back at the person and gone on being happy? Sure!
Phillipians 4:12 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
Yeah, its all in your attitude.
yes and no. it is a choice to live a happy life, but there are a lot of factors involved in the day to day happiness. sometimes its a choice, and sometimes its not. wisdom is to know when you have the power to make yourself be happy and when its ok to not be happy.
It’s more of a perspective born of many choices, interactions, and abilities.
Exceptions would include getting caught in the middle of a war torn area or other traumas that are just too overwhelming and out of your control.
Happiness is not a choice, because it’s completely circumstancial, but JOY is.
i think the crazier you are the happier.
I am going to have to say rarely is happiness a choice, but JOY always is . . . .see my ‘tagline’ . . .
“I choose JOY . . . .it isn’t always an easy choice”
Yes I do.
By far is happiness a choice. The same way that feeling rage, jealousy, and depression is a choice. Though all those emotions can be broken down to biochemical actions within our brains, we have the choice to stay or change our rage, jealousy, depression and even happiness. Obviously, the more you stay in one mood, the more comfortable you become in it and the more it envelopes your entire outlook.
Happiness is not a choice, it’s a feeling that can be dictated by circumstance.
Joy is a choice, and that’s what is biblical, not happiness.
I read a book that says rather than your facial expression being a result of your feelings, that your mood is effected by your facial expression. I haven’t tested it, but in theory then if you choose to smile all day, you actually will become happy.
depends on what your personality type is.
i believe you’re in the limits of it in some respects.
but in most circumstances i think you do have a choice.
Yes. It’s a much easier choice to make in certain situations over others, but you can always choose to look on the bright side, think positively, and be happy with your life.
yes, i’ve seen orphans in haiti laughing and playing and rich kids in America moping about. Sometimes it’s easier, but you can always choose to be happy.
if you choose to block out the bad and focus on something that you really want or enjoy you can always be happy. mind over matter
yep, we make the choice to count our blessings or focus on the mundane. Glass half-full or half-empty
It depends on what you mean by happiness. If you define happiness as an internal pleasure with one’s surroundings, then yes. No matter what is going on in your external environment you can choose to accept it as for the best. In fact, according to this definition happiness must be a choice. No matter how good your surroundings are you can still focus on the negative. For instance, have you ever had a good movie spoiled by a rude ticket sales worker? What they did is in the past and out of your external environment, but it remains part of your internal state. The same principle works with happiness: your happiness depends not on what is around you but on what you focus on.
happiness depends on what happens to you, but contentment can be a choice you make any time.
Happiness or joy? There’s a difference.
sometimes.
Yes. There are mitigating circumstances like chemical imbalances and such, but for the most art, an individual can choose to be satisfied and happy with their life. It is all a matter of perspective either way.
Definitely
only to a partial extent of how you look at things. But no matter how you look at shit, it never smells good.
Happiness can only be a choice, when we look into the issue of contentment i guessl. Learning to be contented with what you can have may grant one happiness, but ultimately, it is more than that that gives happiness.No one can define happiness accurately, it still comes as a fleeting feeling to me. Maybe, because i haven’t found happiness yet.
Sometimes.
Happiness is a state of mind. So yes.
No. Projecting a good mood is a choice. You can change your attitude, but not your state of heart.
True, inner happiness is something that happens on its own, you can’t just will it into being.
sometimes
I think it’s a huge part of it. Sometimes, things get overwhelming and you’ll get down regardless. But its up to the person if they pick themselves back up again, or let themselves wallow in their grief.
Happiness
a. State of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
b. Emotions experienced when in a state of well-being
Based on the first definition, yes, absolutely. Second definition, obviously no. Just in my own family, I can tell that contentment in one’s situation is certainly a choice.
I don’t think happiness is a choice. I think happiness is a result of our choices.
Very rarely. Your surroundings and situations control it. If something bad happens, you’re not going to be able to be happy.
yeah.
Not if you’re in depression. Then you’re involuntarily . . . well, depressed.
But I believe positivity is a choice and mostly happiness is spawned from positivity.
I’m not happy though. And its not really a choice. I dunno/
your outlook on things is a choice… but even with a positive attitude you can still be unhappy.
no, ive been trying to get happiness 4 years now, no luck
heyy can you add me to yo friends
I think some people are born more naturally happy then other people, just like some people are born funnier, or more outgoing or more reserved. I think that our thoughts have a strong impact on our behavior, so maybe we can learn to be more happy by limiting our negative thoughts.
To me, happiness is related to mindset. However, in the case of chemical imbalances like clinical depression, I think the individual does not have much of a choice.
yes, ive concluded that happiness is indeed a choice last summer.
and ive also realized that you read a million comments and probably disregard my replies, however that won’t hinder me.
REGARDLESS,
i believe that happiness is indeed a choice. as humans, we are able to consciously choose how we look at the world. one can have a wonderfully brilliant life, but view it as scum. we’re able to make the decision whether or not we want to allow our circumstances to dictate our happiness.
it’s been one year, since i’ve made the decision to be happy. whatever circumstances, positive or negative, come my way, its all an experience.
life is so much easier when you decide not to let your circumstances dictate your happiness.
yes, mr. theologianscafe sir, i can honestly say i am happy.
It depends on your outlook on life. If you’re a pessimistic person, you can choose to be happy, but you will have problems finding the good in everything. If you’re optimistic (of which I’m trying to become more of) choosing to be happy is an after-thought. You will be able to see the ‘silver lining’.
Happiness is a choice, all though it’s not always appropriate.
“Yeah! I was fired!”
“Yay! My dog died!”
“Yay! G.W.Bush was re-elected a third time!”
sorry
Hmm for me it seems to be. But I may be neurologically different from everyone else.
Yes.
yes and no.
You have to be open to the possibility…
and just let it run it’s course when it comes.
Most of the time it just happens…
but if you are so down..or are not allowing yourself the freedom to be happy in one way or another….
then how can you truly feel happiness…
An equation:
H = S + C + V
Happiness is a combination of set point (50%; gene-environment interacation), circumstances (10%; climate, location, sociodemographics, things that one cannot control) and voluntary activity (40%).
I’d have to agree that about 40% of one’s happiness is based on choice, one’s own voluntary activities. I’ll be existenialistic for a moment and say that even sitting on one’s rump and not making a choice, is making a choice.
adapted from Martin Seligman’s Authentic Happiness
Yes.
Sometimes though, there are factors that affect your decision making for this particular subject.
Yes and no.
Everyone WANTS to be happy, I think.
It’s just people’s methods of finding it that make them unhappy, because they don’t always find the right way.
more than anything
A big yes on that !
It is often a result of our choices. Contentment, the real winner, is a result of our choices far and above our surroundings.
yes it is