What is necessary to be a happy person? Although each of us has our own concept of happiness, which may comprise both universal aspects like love, health, satisfaction, and some specific things like holding a scholar degree or writing a bestseller. Still, all these aspects have something in common, and people tend to wish the same things despite nationality or religious affiliation. A famous Maslow's pyramid of needs provides with basic items, necessary for a person to be comfortable and satisfied. The first range of needs is physiological needs, then goes need for safety; and only after that needs for group and respect arouse. Actually, in most civilized countries people do satisfy their physiological needs and feel safety in most cases. Then why are we so frequently dissatisfied? People, living in bad conditions very often consider themselves to be much happier compared to Europeans, for example? It may sound strange, but, indeed those who live in far from comfortable conditions feel more satisfied than people possessing jacuzzi and unaware of hunger means. Probably that is because we are more prone to worrying about trifles. We worry about missed bus, possible problems our children may have at school, when they are only 3 years old, about possible end of the world and so on and so forth. Each day is full of some fears, some of which have global character, others regard our personality. Mass Media also influences this, because we now live not our life but the life reflected in Mass Media. We worry about things that may never occur, but about which there is much ado. In such daily worries we forget about something indeed vital, we forget about relations with people whom we love and respect. We do not appreciate the day if it was without any bad news, but we feel depressed if some small plan of us was broken. The key problem is that we do not concentrate on essential things; we ignore them until something serious happens there. To learn appreciate the day without sickness, the day without serious incidents - that is the way to become happier. We note small unpleasant things. But why don't we note small pleasant things? Why do we not smile at a tiny ladybug that got to the city by accident and brought us a piece of nature? Try to find joy in small things but ignore small troubles. "Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within. It is not what we see and touch or that which others do for us which makes us happy; it is that which we think and feel and do, first for the other fellow and then for ourselves." These words belong to Helen Keller, a blind-deaf-mute woman who called herself a happy person, despite anything. Why? Because she definitely knew what was vital and what was trifle. Learn to practice your happiness and you will feel real, authentic satisfaction, regardless of broken tap in your kitchen or a traffic jam on your way home. |
