Dear Readers,
There are eight ways in which happy people are different than everyone else.
They are resilient.
Happy people bounce back, often quickly, from setbacks. Rather than see life's adversities as destructive and rigid roadblocks that they must quash in order to be happy, they see adverse situations as manageable and temporary fixtures in a pretty good life--the price they pay for renting space on the planet.
They are optimistic.
You know this to be true--most people want to talk about their problems and what's not going right. Happy people have the same problems that everyone else does, they are just solution-focused and get bored and irritated talking about problems all the time. They have an uncanny skill for finding solutions where there seem to be none. There's a time and place for venting, but when you're ready for a solution, ask an optimist.
They experience a wide range of emotions.
While happy people have more positive emotions than negative ones--three times as many, in fact--they do experience negative emotions just like everyone else. However, they experience them differently. They don't squelch negative emotions. They face them head on in order to learn from them. They let negative emotions guide them into changing a behavior, self-examining, or getting out of a bad relationship. They see negative emotions as an internal wake-up call to change course or re-evaluate.
They savor things that most people take for granted or overlook.
Happy people are masters at the art of savoring. They joyfully anticipate events, stay present during events, and reminisce after events. They do this because they tend to keep the end in mind. They know that kids grow up, time passes, and we all die. Happy people live by a carpe diem philosophy, never needing a reason to celebrate.
They seek constant challenge and mastery.
Happy people continually look for ways to challenge themselves and develop or master a skill. Rarely complacent, they have an idea of what personal success looks like and use healthy doses of self-criticism to achieve their goals. They don't self-loathe, but they are realistic with themselves and their deficiencies. They seek out people, hobbies, professions, or ideas that challenge them and their stale self-concepts.
They spend lots of time with people they like.
Happy people know that relationships are essential to living a good life. Humans aren't meant to live in isolation. When we do, loneliness sets in, depression ensues, and we find ourselves in a downward spiral of negativity and withdrawal. Relationships are critical to happy people. The key is spending time with people you like and want to be with. Not just any warm body will do.
They are quick to forgive.
Forgiving a wrongdoing isn't easy. It almost feels good to harbor a grudge or pass judgment, producing the mild comfort of self-righteousness. But happy people choose forgiveness. They see the larger context of forgiveness--it allows both the offender and the offended a chance to move on. Happy people know that their inability to forgive someone doesn't hurt that person or "show them up," it only hurts them.
They serve a purpose bigger than themselves.
Happy people live out their values in tangible ways. They are eager to connect to something meaningful--a cause, purpose, or belief that is bigger than them. Human existence has two aims: to make a contribution to humanity and to have a purpose for living. Happy people spend a lot of time making sure they get these two right.
From India, Gurgaon
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12There are eight ways in which happy people are different than everyone else.
They are resilient.
Happy people bounce back, often quickly, from setbacks. Rather than see life's adversities as destructive and rigid roadblocks that they must quash in order to be happy, they see adverse situations as manageable and temporary fixtures in a pretty good life--the price they pay for renting space on the planet.
They are optimistic.
You know this to be true--most people want to talk about their problems and what's not going right. Happy people have the same problems that everyone else does, they are just solution-focused and get bored and irritated talking about problems all the time. They have an uncanny skill for finding solutions where there seem to be none. There's a time and place for venting, but when you're ready for a solution, ask an optimist.
They experience a wide range of emotions.
While happy people have more positive emotions than negative ones--three times as many, in fact--they do experience negative emotions just like everyone else. However, they experience them differently. They don't squelch negative emotions. They face them head on in order to learn from them. They let negative emotions guide them into changing a behavior, self-examining, or getting out of a bad relationship. They see negative emotions as an internal wake-up call to change course or re-evaluate.
They savor things that most people take for granted or overlook.
Happy people are masters at the art of savoring. They joyfully anticipate events, stay present during events, and reminisce after events. They do this because they tend to keep the end in mind. They know that kids grow up, time passes, and we all die. Happy people live by a carpe diem philosophy, never needing a reason to celebrate.
They seek constant challenge and mastery.
Happy people continually look for ways to challenge themselves and develop or master a skill. Rarely complacent, they have an idea of what personal success looks like and use healthy doses of self-criticism to achieve their goals. They don't self-loathe, but they are realistic with themselves and their deficiencies. They seek out people, hobbies, professions, or ideas that challenge them and their stale self-concepts.
They spend lots of time with people they like.
Happy people know that relationships are essential to living a good life. Humans aren't meant to live in isolation. When we do, loneliness sets in, depression ensues, and we find ourselves in a downward spiral of negativity and withdrawal. Relationships are critical to happy people. The key is spending time with people you like and want to be with. Not just any warm body will do.
They are quick to forgive.
Forgiving a wrongdoing isn't easy. It almost feels good to harbor a grudge or pass judgment, producing the mild comfort of self-righteousness. But happy people choose forgiveness. They see the larger context of forgiveness--it allows both the offender and the offended a chance to move on. Happy people know that their inability to forgive someone doesn't hurt that person or "show them up," it only hurts them.
They serve a purpose bigger than themselves.
Happy people live out their values in tangible ways. They are eager to connect to something meaningful--a cause, purpose, or belief that is bigger than them. Human existence has two aims: to make a contribution to humanity and to have a purpose for living. Happy people spend a lot of time making sure they get these two right.
From India, Gurgaon
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Hi,
That is very informative sharing and relevant to the members of this forum who often have to strike the right balance between personal life and professional life, which is often at the cost of happiness.
In addition to the above points, a very visible feature of happy people is that they exude joy and are heartily welcomed wherever they go. This is because they smile a lot, they are fun to be with, and they can lighten the mood quickly.
People who seek to bring more happiness into their lives and the lives of those around them could get more inputs from the contents of the following Inspirational and Motivational blogs:
- www.actspot.wordpress.com - Over 150,000 views and 875 followers
- www.poweract.blogspot.com - Over 45,500 views and 220 followers
Regards
From India, Mumbai
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That is very informative sharing and relevant to the members of this forum who often have to strike the right balance between personal life and professional life, which is often at the cost of happiness.
In addition to the above points, a very visible feature of happy people is that they exude joy and are heartily welcomed wherever they go. This is because they smile a lot, they are fun to be with, and they can lighten the mood quickly.
People who seek to bring more happiness into their lives and the lives of those around them could get more inputs from the contents of the following Inspirational and Motivational blogs:
- www.actspot.wordpress.com - Over 150,000 views and 875 followers
- www.poweract.blogspot.com - Over 45,500 views and 220 followers
Regards
From India, Mumbai
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Hello Iris Corp,
A very good posting. These points are very true. Happy people do face the same problems as others. However, they are proactive in tackling their problems. Whether it is an emotion or anything wrong done to them, they quickly get over the circumstances and look up positively.
V. Raghunathan
Navi Mumbai
From India
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A very good posting. These points are very true. Happy people do face the same problems as others. However, they are proactive in tackling their problems. Whether it is an emotion or anything wrong done to them, they quickly get over the circumstances and look up positively.
V. Raghunathan
Navi Mumbai
From India
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Hello Iris-corp,
A good posting, and I join the other members in appreciating it.
There's one thing that's common to all people you categorized as "Happy People". They do not allow others' responses or reactions to decide their responses; most often, they don't react, only respond. This is what, in fact, most of the spiritual/religious texts profess.
To give a well-known example, everyone knows Gandhi's response to someone slapping him: show the other cheek. Even though it seems so immature and illogical, there's a very deep rationale in this option he chose. Any other response only leads to 'giving it back' in any of the ways that was or is usually expected for such actions—'reacting'—rather than responding. And 'reaction' mode invariably leads to another similar action from the other end... and so it goes as a sort of chain.
Also, if you notice closely, 'Happy People' don't do whatever you and other members mentioned. In fact, it's the other way round—they are happy because they do whatever has been mentioned. Such mental frames of mind and actions lead them to be happy... meaning happiness is the consequence rather than the cause.
Regards,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
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A good posting, and I join the other members in appreciating it.
There's one thing that's common to all people you categorized as "Happy People". They do not allow others' responses or reactions to decide their responses; most often, they don't react, only respond. This is what, in fact, most of the spiritual/religious texts profess.
To give a well-known example, everyone knows Gandhi's response to someone slapping him: show the other cheek. Even though it seems so immature and illogical, there's a very deep rationale in this option he chose. Any other response only leads to 'giving it back' in any of the ways that was or is usually expected for such actions—'reacting'—rather than responding. And 'reaction' mode invariably leads to another similar action from the other end... and so it goes as a sort of chain.
Also, if you notice closely, 'Happy People' don't do whatever you and other members mentioned. In fact, it's the other way round—they are happy because they do whatever has been mentioned. Such mental frames of mind and actions lead them to be happy... meaning happiness is the consequence rather than the cause.
Regards,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
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