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Dalton Resor

English 115

Dr. Beadle

17 February 2019

Happiness

Happiness is subjective to experience and emotion and how one may perceive it. When

we go through tough times in life some find ways of making themselves happy by thinking back

to joyful, memorable moments they had experienced in the past. Happiness can be

subconsciously programed into ourselves, so rather than reverting immediately to being

depressed, we can think happier. It’s easy to look at the world and become like the negativity

that surrounds it, which always ends up being never enough and a manifest of self-loathing

depression; and, it’s all about me, what do I get out of it- outlook. The authors, Brooks, Hill, and

Lyubomirsky, describe true happiness as something that comes from hard work and a passion to

grow as an individual. These three authors portray happiness as something that is internal and

perceived rather than something that is physically attained. The difference in how these authors

describe happiness is either obtained through physical suffering or mental struggle, which results

in a spiritual gain that can’t be possessed from the world.

Happiness and suffering are seen as juxtaposed words, but in reality they can work in

harmony when seen through a broad lense. Lyubomirsky extends her view on internal happiness

by writing, “Happiness, if anything, is a state of mind, a way of perceiving and approaching

ourselves and the world in which we reside” (Lyubomirsky 185), which means that happiness is
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how we look at ourselves and the world around us, and something we must take part in. How an

individual sees themselves and what they dedicate to the world and their spirituality to is their

mental state of being. Furthermore, Lyubomirsky continues her idea of happiness being internal

by stating, “Happiness is not there for us to find. The reason it’s not out there is that it’s inside

us” (Lyubomirsky 185), mentioning the idea that happiness is much more than what we chase

after or wait for, but something that we must find within ourselves. As repetitive as that may

sound, it’s true. Yet one could say self-forced/ imposed happiness is not​ ​happiness what so ever;

then again, how would one ever be happy in their life without perceiving it as such. Any type of

emotion is self-imposed to some extent, and if not so, then that would mean that human

emotions are artificial. While life is filled with memories; it is more than what you remember, it

is what you make of the moment. Like how Angela in the article, “What Makes You Happy and

Why”, was known to be a happy person even though she had a brutal childhood, an abusive

mother, and was bullied at school. It was her suffering that lead her to becoming happy, and by

the going through the crucible, she was made tougher and made to withstand more and greater

struggles. This is why Shannon, written in the same article, struggles with what seems to be

minut obstacles in life such as; transitioning from college to high school, living with an irritating

roommate, workload feels too much etc. This feels like a lot to her because her life has not been

that much of a challenge, she has not been faced with truly difficult struggles in her life. What

brings true happiness is not what brings one instantaneous gratification, but it is the moment of

struggle, and the tyranny in the moment of doubt that brings lifelong happiness.

What seems good now, and most certainly pleasurable to the individual does not mean

it’s pure at heart. Material possessions can easily make one so happy for so long, it can just as
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easily corrupt them. Objectivity is something that can only take you so far in life, which Graham

Hill comments about by writing, “It took 15 years, a great love and a lot of travel to get rid of all

of the inessential things I have collected and live a bigger, better, richer life with less” (Hill 309)

and comments, “Apparently supersize homes don’t provide enough storage for all of our

possessions” (Hill 310), which is referring to the economy versus human accumulation to

possessions and belongings, most of which end up in the trash. Hill comments that it took him

many years to live a “better richer life with less”. Having more with less may sound

contradictory to begin with, but what he is talking about is the fact that your spiritual being will

be better with less. People who have less are generally more content and happy about life than

those who consume a lot and are usually better off financially. Though, this is true and all that

said, this doesn’t mean that getting your dream car is bad, and it also doesn’t mean you have to

give up everything and live in a shack for the rest of your life. In this case this is what it took for

him to realize what happiness was and was not. One can give away all their possessions and still

not be happy, one can give to charity and be completely depressed. Life would not be enjoyable

if we were unable to please ourselves every once and awhile; but one’s life should not revolve

around the materialistic possessions one acquires. What one may have on the outside does not

mean anything because objects do not​ ​add spiritual/ internal or any eternal value to one’s life.

More often than not this also applies to life from a financial perspective, people spend more than

what they can actually afford, leaving them unhappy because they spent too much, and now they

can not​ ​afford living in a home.

As I have said before, happiness and suffering only seem in opposition when perceived as

such. Happiness requires a process in which one must go through to find, which according to
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David Brooks, he exposes his view by stating, “Recovering from suffering is not like recovering

from a disease. Many people don’t come out healed; they come out different” (Brooks 286).

Brooks is saying that suffering whether it be external or internal, over time makes a person

different. One does not suddenly change and become happy, it is a strenuous process of changing

your mindset, it requires reprogramming one’s psyche and nature. It is a process which requires

taking out what is old and bringing in what is new which involves going through extensive pain

and hardship. Even though suffering brings happiness, it is not the only way to achieve

fulfillment, there are other ways, people achieve internal happiness in many different ways, but it

is suffering and truly giving up what one enjoys in which brings them to what makes them

happy. what makes one realize that having everything is everything. Everyone suffers in their

life, it is part of being human and living life. It’s these moments in life that matter because they

are what change a person, it’s suffering that makes you tougher. Do not​ ​wish life was easier,

wish you were better. Life will never be fair, life will never yield nor will it bow down to what

you want because it is unlawful, it cheats, and it doesn’t care. Do not be fooled by what others

have and how easy they seem to have it in life. There are times you can bend life to your favor,

but that doesn’t come without work.

Lifelong happiness can only be found internally and accomplished by the willingness to

grow. It can be​ ​found through suffering and, and not accessible through worldly possessions; but

rather can only be obtained through internal realization. The three authors revealed that

happiness can be achieved internally. While one can get rid of as much as they can, meditate as

long as they want, the only way to achieve happiness is internally. It is one’s internal being

which achieves such state. It seems that this takes a growth mindset and someone with a passion
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to grow and become better versions of themselves. Not only will this help themselves, but others

in the process. This would result in forever changing themselves and furthermore changing their

path of success.
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Works Cited

Lyubomirsky, Sonja. “How Happy Are You and Why.” ​Pursuing Happiness,​ Edited by

Matthew Parfett and Dawn Skorczewski, Bedford St. Martins 2016, pp. 179–197.

Hill, Graham. “Living With Less, a Lot Less.” ​Pursuing Happiness,​ Edited by Matthew

Parfett and Dawn Skorczewski, Bedford St. Martins, 2016, pp. 308-318.

David, Brooks. “What Suffering Does.” ​Pursuing Happiness,​ Edited by Matthew Parfett

and Dawn Skorczewski, Bedford St. Martins, 2016, pp. 284–287.