Happiness

Happiness
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Happy" and "Happily" redirect here. For other uses, see Happy (disambiguation).
"Jolly" redirects here. For other uses, see Jolly (disambiguation).
The smiley face is a well-known symbol of happiness

"Happiness is a state of mind or feeling characterized by contentment, love, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy.[1] A variety of biological, psychological, religious, and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources.

While direct measurement of happiness presents challenges, tools such as The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire have been developed by researchers. Positive psychology researchers use theoretical models that include describing happiness as consisting of positive emotions and positive activities, or that describe three kinds of happiness: pleasure, engagement, and meaning.

Research has identified a number of attributes that correlate with happiness: relationships and social interaction, extraversion, marital status, employment, health, democratic freedom, optimism, endorphins released through physical exercise and eating chocolate, religious involvement, income and proximity to other happy people.[citation needed]

Philosophers and religious thinkers often define happiness in terms of living a good life, or flourishing, rather than simply as an emotion. Happiness in this older sense was used to translate the Greek Eudaimonia, and is still used in virtue ethics.

Happiness economics suggests that measures of public happiness should be used to supplement more traditional economic measures when evaluating the success of public policy."

Are you happy? That is a big question, but one that requires being answered to oneself on occasion. If the answer is no, then priorities and goals and mental and physical health need to be assessed and improved upon.

If the answer is yes, then good for you! God intends us to be happy. Not just satisfied, or in the state of pleasure, as sin can provide that sense of pleasure, but really, truly happy.

I know that I am.

And it is because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is my source of true happiness. Oh, and a hug from Josh, a smile and thank you from my kids, good friends, a nice book, a good run and a cup of hot chocolate doesn't hurt either.

This is my blog and my name is Megan. :)