Happiness is....

I have heard a lot of different New Year's resolutions, most involving self-betterment, through diet, fitness, exercise, volunteerism. There are vows to take on new challenges or give up bad habits. All of them really are aimed though to make the person who is doing the resolving, happier. There have been books devoted to seeking happiness (i.e. the aptly named The Happiness Project), essays written, innumerable philosophical discussions amongst philosophers, college students,teen-agers, parents, pre-schoolers, you name it.

So, what is happiness, and how do you get it? Is it as easy as all those quotes posted on someone's Facebook page or is there more to it? Ralph Gardner, Jr. of the Wall Street Journal, wrote an essay in December entitled, "A Study in Happiness" , in which he attended a meeting of the St. John's College New York City "Happiness" Executive Seminar. This particular seminar revolved around an essay by Seneca. While Mr. Gardner lamented the choice of refreshments, he was happy to have spent "90 minutes... without cell phones, in communion with someone who lived 2,000 years ago, and was both smarter and shrewder than anyone else you're likely to encounter over the course of your average day."

Happiness, as even Lucy from the Peanuts comic strip could tell you, is different things for different people. One child might want to play sports-- hit, kick, and throw balls all day long. Another may be happiest reading or creating art projects, or playing guitar, or singing. One woman may be enormously happy when she finishes a marathon, another when she sees an old friend. Sometimes, it seems nothing will make teen-agers happy. However, everyone (perhaps teen-agers especially!) benefits from time away, from changing up their routine. Whether it is vacation, camp, an academic summer program, a visit abroad, a new job or volunteer opportunity, everyone should take time this year to make a change, to view things from a different angle, to allow themselves to appreciate the things they have that do make them happy.

Comments

[Essay Writing]

lol studying with happniess would be a great idea dude!

[Academic Writing]

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