What is Authentic Happiness?
You want to be happy, but just what is happiness?
Is it having a smile on your face at all times and feeling happy and never feeling sad?
This is not what authentic happiness is. So what it it? Here are a few factors that contribute to happiness:
- Satisfaction with life. This is when you agree that your life is close to the ideal and that condiotions in ytour life arfe excellent.
- Optimism about the future – you are optimistic that things will work out fine.
- Sharing – you enjoy sharing with others
- Love – you love yourself and others.
- Gratitude – There is so much in your life to be thankful for
- Forgiveness – you are prepared to forgive and let go of those who transgress you
- Curiosity – you are curious about the world
This is not a full list and you may be able to add some of your own. The list is not saying that you never have a bad day, feel upset, or become ill. What it is pointing to is how you can generally be happy. Sometimes your emotions can be positive or negative. Enduring happiness is when you experience positive emotions much more than negative emotions.
If you do not have the above qualities and generally consider yourself unhappy – then take heart. There are things that you can do to acquire the characteristics that make a happy person. Soon I will be telling you the story of Sophie and how she went from being unhappy to enduring happiness through acquiring life changing skills.
Posted by Stephen Williamson
