Happiness is considered very important in life. Why is it difficult to define?

What factors are important

in achieving happiness?

It is everyone’s wish to lead a happy life in today’s stressful world. It is difficult to have a universal
definition of happiness because everyone has a different set criteria for its definition. This essay will be
discussing that a single parameter cannot be set to define happiness and how good health coupled with
a pleasant family life are most crucial factors to achieve a happiness in life.

To begin with, there cannot be a unified factor which can define happiness. Money is considered to be a
marker of happy life as it enables us to meet our requirements, however, it brings extra stress with it as
every rich man cannot be considered a happy person on this planet. For instance recent article published
in Pakistan Medical Journal revealed that sixty percent of elite rich businessmen in Karachi are depressed
with their lives despite having enough finances to lead a luxurious life. Contrary to this, some one
achieving professional excellence alone without enough financial resources may not be happy as lack of
money will make him feel deprived rather than being happy. It thus, clarifies the difficulty to devise a
unified definition of happiness based on a single parameter.

However, there are some crucial factors which can play an important role to get the true spirit of
happiness. Firstly, happiness will be meaningless without physical health and wellbeing. A person suffering
from blood cancer is likely to remain unhappy even if provided with any other ingredient of happiness like
money. Adding further, harmonious family relations are integral part of happiness. As per a recent survey
report published in The Times magazine, people having good family relations were found to be the most
contented with their lives in New York city as compared to the ones having more money but a disturbed
family life. Thus, there are other crucial factors beyond money and professional achievements which are
integral for a happy life.

To summarise, it is difficult to define happiness based on a single parameter, rather linking various criteria
of happiness will be helpful in achieving happiness. I hope that society will have a deep insight of
happiness to ensure a balanced approach rather than running after a single factor to achieve it.

This is well subjected to the topic. I understand that it was a difficult topic, but you flowed with satisfying
ideas. However, the conclusion could have been a bit added with words for the balanced approach as
mentioned.

7 Bands : Might be given more by Examiner.