I don’t even have an exact answer for myself, but I do find myself being happy when I’ve managed to fix something like a vehicle, got a shower later, and crack open a cold beer.
What brings you joy/happiness?
Dog
Mostly, seeing my family succeed.
I’m not very happy very often, but I watched my son get award after award last week, and was happy. A year ago, my wife finished her Masters’ degree with a 4.0 GPA, and I was happy.
Personally, this morning I went for the first >100km motorcycle ride of the season. Once I was out of traffic and riding through some of the prettiest scenery on the planet, I was happy.
I’m a similar way. I feel a deeper happiness when my family is happy and achieves great things. So usually for external reasons rather than internal?
It’s sort of like how I enjoy giving others gifts or experiences, while not needing much for myself.
Congrats/let’s goooo on all accounts! 🎉
Unattainable
agency
Smelling coffee as I wake up
Happiness is a tiny moment where, just for a brief second, everything seems right. Maybe things aren’t so bad, maybe everything will turn out okay. It’s inconsistent, fleeting, unreliable, and it might be the most beautiful thing we’re capable of.
Wanting what you’ve got, and being accepted as your true self
One time a friend was talking and evaluating the concept of being happy and if he was or not at this point in time.
He said that because X, and Y and Z he could look and say that “yes he was happy”.
That was many years ago. I’m still tormented about that conversation and that concept of being happy. It all seemed absolutely alien and I had no idea what he was talking about. I don’t think I have ever felt that concept.
Happiness is riding my motorcycle alone on a long twisty road with a beautiful view.
Hearing my bike scream as I work through the gears hunting for the next apex, the next exit, accelerating out of a turn and setting up for the next braking zone.
The world ceases to exist and I simply flow.
Happiness is my son yelling out dad as he sees me and he runs to hug me. It’s his laughter as we race around, its his curiosity and glowing smile as I show him a new bug, as he pets a dog, or eats new food.
Happiness is my wife cuddling up to me on a cold night, safe and satisfied with the life we have built together.
Happiness is knowing my work matters, that I have done it well, and improved my community and country through my effort. It is the sweat on my brow and the sun on my back after a hard days labor. Or my weary eyes, grainy from staring at a monitor and the satisfied grin as I evict an attacker from a network.
I guess it’s overall satisfaction. Joy is yesterday, cuddling in bed with my spouse and toddler, and toddler reaches up and pats us each on the cheek, smiling ear to ear, so happy we’re all together watching the movie they wants to watch. A joy explosion. But if we spent all day in bed, that wouldn’t make me happy. So I guess we need the harder stuff so those joy explosions feel so high. So a balance with those joy moments a few times a day is peak happiness
Peace of mind , and the resources to act on whatever comes to mind when I can hear myself think
Belonging, contributing, being appreciated, learning, creating, growing, occasional novelty, human touch, emotional validation, companionship, shared pleasures. Physical, emotional, social, and mental capacity to appreciate this.
It’s sad that that seems difficult to achieve.
Happiness to me is having a meaning to my life, i couldn’t find a point to living for myself that was logical so i just gave up living for it and decided the only reason to live is to be morally good
So now happiness is being a good person, every now and then i’d get unexplainably sad or angry if i’m too happy for self interest reasons because life lost meaning for a moment
New experiences, new knowledge and achieving great things
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