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Will Misenheimer

UWRT 1102-028

Deby Jizi

12 January 2016

What Happiness Means to Me

Happiness is a seemingly impossible concept to define. There are many difficult and self-

analytical questions that may be asked to develop a deeper understanding of happiness. Are you happy?

How did you become happy? How do you plan on maintaining your happiness in the future? Like a

switch, it sometimes seems that happiness may be turned off and on. I may be happy playing video games

for an hour, but that does not necessarily make me a happy human being.

Happiness is the point where gratitude and self-fulfillment meet. “Life’s heaviest burden is

having nothing to carry.” While most would concur with the notion that a lazy day is welcome every once

in a while, the pride felt through productivity and applying oneself creates a certain sense of happiness

that can only be channeled through self-fulfillment. For example, when I go to bed at night, I feel much

better knowing that I have put forth a hard day’s work. It is the feeling of accomplishment and being

ahead that enables me to feel good. However, this happiness is left incomplete without the feelings of

gratitude. When I lay down at night, it is essential that I be grateful for the opportunity to attend a

university as well as the simple blessing of having a place to rest my head. If I am not completely grateful

for my blessings, I may possibly become greedy and difficult to please, a disease that never achieves

spiritual or sincere happiness, only the misconception that materialistic goods are the key to a successful

life.

Happiness is greatly influenced by perspective. “Happiness is not based upon outward

circumstances, but rather an inward state of mind.” Everyone has heard the old, “money doesn’t buy

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happiness” quote, but the infamously false notion that happiness can only be achieved through the

obtainment of materialistic goods is, sincerely, ridiculous. During the last few days of the very well-

known Steve Jobs, the Apple prodigy released a statement condemning his notorious habits of placing his

own career before his very family. Jobs, arguably the most financially successful entrepreneur in

America, admittedly regretted his actions and suggested that others appreciate and cherish their family,

for they will not have them forever. Thus, life cannot be operated on the basis that the tangible goods are

to take priority.

Finally, happiness is heavily dependent upon purpose. “Everything happens for a reason,” my

mother used to say. I am a proud and devout Christian, raised in a Christian family. I believe that

everything this world has to offer has been created and established through the will of God. My purpose

and own being has everything to do with the plan the God has for me. I find much comfort and

reassurance in the worshipping of Jesus Christ. Thus, my purpose is outlined by Jesus Christ, and the

reassurance that I am given by him is the ultimate happiness. If there were no purpose to life, imagine the

hopelessness that would engulf our society. The lack of drive or purpose creates a feeling of despair and

isolation that causes loneliness and unhappiness. The belief that your life is lived due to a certain purpose

is a feeling of reassurance that may comfort you through the entire journey of life.

Just as a mathematical graph may change severely due to the alteration of the x-variable, the y-

variable, happiness, depends drastically on the many x-variables, such as gratitude, self-fulfillment, and

purpose. Also, just as there are many different functions and equations in the mathematical world, each

individual attains a different level of happiness, and his or her own x-variables for attaining that

happiness. At this current moment in time, are you happy with what you’ve done, what you are doing,

and what you’re future plans hold?