Being happy does not mean everything is perfect;
it means you decide to see beyond the imperfections.
Remember the words of Winston Churchill, who said,
I like things to happen;
And if they don’t happen,
I like to make them happen.
But here is the exception: there is no way to happiness.
Happiness is the way, meditated Thich Nhat Hanh.
We breathe and connect the words of Nathaniel Hawthorne…
which when pursued,is always just beyond your grasp,but which,if you will sit down quietly,
A butterfly flies with the magnetic appeal of a meaningful life…
People searching for a purpose in life — whether or not they are consciously aware of this deep-seated desire — will be attracted to others who have arrived at an answer.
And so we answer questions and question answers on Quora, in a neverending process of continual improvement…
- What defines happiness?
- What is the way to happiness?
- What is the concrete way to happiness?
- Why are successful people the happiest?
- What are some worthy goals to pursue in life?
- How can you maximize your happiness in life?
- What are life’s lessons from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos?
- Why are we drawn to those who have found meaning?
- What is the meaning of life?
Meditating ten essential reflections on happiness, we know that to be happy we have to want to be happy.
Because the head is an overstated organ;
all of the action happens in the heart.
all of the action happens in the heart.
Never get so busy making a living,
that you forget to make a life.
that you forget to make a life.
And remember, there is no way to happiness.
Happiness is the way.
Happiness is the way.
And once more, with feeling: SIMPLIFY.
ifindkarma. elegance is refusal. 
???I dreamed I was a butterfly, flitting around in the sky; then I awoke. Now I wonder: Am I a man who dreamt of being a butterfly, or am I a butterfly dreaming that I am a man??????? Chuang Tzu Source: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=500040414&v=wall&story_fbid=150714801617082&ref=mfSee also: http://halphillips.tumblr.com/post/822919795/inception
Comment by Anonymous — September 8, 2010 @ 9:11 am
Is Facebook making us sad? I say no: http://www.quora.com/Is-Facebook-making-us-sad/answer/Adam-RifkinAlso, here are some personal favorites from http://QuoteGarden.com/happiness.htmlHappiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. ~Eleanor RooseveltHappiness is a direction, not a place. ~Sydney J. HarrisA truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on a detour. ~Author UnknownHappiness held is the seed; happiness shared is the flower. ~Author UnknownThe only way to avoid being miserable is not to have enough leisure to wonder whether you are happy or not. ~George Bernard ShawWe are no longer happy so soon as we wish to be happier. ~Walter Savage LandorIf you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. ~Dalai Lama
Comment by Anonymous — April 4, 2011 @ 1:05 am
How do I become a happier person?http://www.quora.com/How-can-I-become-a-happier-person
Comment by Anonymous — May 3, 2011 @ 6:10 am
???"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.??? -Albert Einstein
Comment by Anonymous — June 19, 2011 @ 8:39 pm
This is an excellent presentation on happiness by Nobel prize winner Daniel Kahneman. In it, he draws an insightful distinction: there may be two very different types of happiness. The first is being happy in your life. It is happiness that we experience immediately and in the moment.The second is being happy about your life. It is the happiness that exists in memory when we talk about the past and the big picture.We can enjoy nine-tenths of something blissfully in the moment, yet a lousy ending can bias us and ruin the memory forever.http://www.bakadesuyo.com/are-there-two-types-of-happiness
Comment by Anonymous — August 9, 2011 @ 5:27 pm
People are very bad at predicting what will make them happy.http://ifindkarma.posterous.com/people-are-very-bad-at-predicting-what-will-m
Comment by Anonymous — August 9, 2011 @ 5:28 pm
Only kindness matters in the end.http://ifindkarma.posterous.com/only-kindness-matters-in-the-end
Comment by Anonymous — August 12, 2011 @ 2:00 am
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." ~ Gandhi
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Comment by Anonymous — August 25, 2011 @ 8:11 am
???There is no key to happiness; the door is always open.???http://ifindkarma.tumblr.com/post/13653987388/there-is-no-key-to-happiness-the-door-is-always
Comment by Anonymous — December 3, 2011 @ 12:13 am
Ur negativities cannot penetrate mai Rainbow Wall of Happiness.http://ifindkarma.tumblr.com/post/13654159537/there-is-no-key-to-happiness-the-door-is-always
Comment by Anonymous — December 3, 2011 @ 12:19 am
When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. ~ John Lennon http://ifindkarma.tumblr.com/post/13845580405/too-many-people-overvalue-what-they-are-not-and
Comment by Anonymous — December 6, 2011 @ 11:37 pm
Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are. ~ Malcolm S. Forbeshttp://www.facebook.com/adam.rifkin/posts/10150406992820415Master your instrument, master the music, and then forget all that bullshit and just play. ~ Charlie Parkerhttp://www.facebook.com/adam.rifkin/posts/10150406757865415Success is never final, failure is never fatal. ~ John Woodenhttp://www.facebook.com/adam.rifkin/posts/10150405085585415Life = Riskhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzBCI13rJmA
Comment by Anonymous — December 6, 2011 @ 11:40 pm
12 things happy people do differently:http://seablackwithink.tumblr.com/post/13932127866/12-things-happy-people-do-differentlyExpress gratitude. ??? When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value. Kinda cool right? So basically, being grateful for the goodness that is already evident in your life will bring you a deeper sense of happiness. And that???s without having to go out and buy anything. It makes sense. We???re gonna have a hard time ever being happy if we aren???t thankful for what we already have.Cultivate optimism. ??? Winners have the ability to manufacture their own optimism. No matter what the situation, the successful diva is the chick who will always find a way to put an optimistic spin on it. She knows failure only as an opportunity to grow and learn a new lesson from life. People who think optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times.Avoid over-thinking and social comparison. ??? Yes, it feels impossible to avoid but comparing yourself to someone else can be poisonous. If we???re somehow ???better??? than the person that we???re comparing ourselves to, it gives us an unhealthy sense of superiority. Our ego inflates ??? KABOOM ??? our inner Kanye West comes out! If we???re ???worse??? than the person that we???re comparing ourselves to, we usually discredit the hard work that we???ve done and dismiss all the progress that we???ve made. What I???ve found is that the majority of the time this type of social comparison doesn???t stem from a healthy place. If you feel called to compare yourself to something, compare yourself to an older version of yourself.Practice acts of kindness. ??? Performing an act of kindness releases serotonin in your brain. (Serotonin is a substance that has TREMENDOUS health benefits, including making us feel more blissful.) Selflessly helping someone is a super powerful way to feel good inside. What???s even cooler about this kindness kick is that not only will you feel better, but so will people watching the act of kindness. How extraordinary is that? Bystanders will be blessed with a release of serotonin just by watching what???s going on. A side note is that the job of most anti-depressants is to release more serotonin. Move over Pfizer, kindness is kicking ass and taking names.Nurture social relationships. ??? The happiest people on the planet are the ones who have deep, meaningful relationships. Did you know studies show that people???s mortality rates are DOUBLED when they???re lonely? WHOA! There???s a warm fuzzy feeling that comes from having an active circle of good friends who you can share your experiences with. We feel connected and a part of something more meaningful than our lonesome existence.Develop strategies for coping. ??? How you respond to the ???craptastic??? moments is what shapes your character. Sometimes crap happens ??? it???s inevitable. Forrest Gump knows the deal. It can be hard to come up with creative solutions in the moment when manure is making its way up toward the fan. It helps to have healthy strategies for coping pre-rehearsed, on-call, and in your arsenal at your disposal.Learn to forgive. ??? Harboring feelings of hatred is horrible for your well-being. You see, your mind doesn???t know the difference between past and present emotion. When you ???hate??? someone, and you???re continuously thinking about it, those negative emotions are eating away at your immune system. You put yourself in a state of suckerism (technical term) and it stays with you throughout your day.Increase flow experiences. ??? Flow is a state in which it feels like time stands still. It???s when you???re so focused on what you???re doing that you become one with the task. Action and awareness are merged. You???re not hungry, sleepy, or emotional. You???re just completely engaged in the activity that you???re doing. Nothing is distracting you or competing for your focus.Savor life???s joys. ??? Deep happiness cannot exist without slowing down to enjoy the joy. It???s easy in a world of wild stimuli and omnipresent movement to forget to embrace life???s enjoyable experiences. When we neglect to appreciate, we rob the moment of its magic. It???s the simple things in life that can be the most rewarding if we remember to fully experience them.Commit to your goals. ??? Being wholeheartedly dedicated to doing something comes fully-equipped with an ineffable force. Magical things start happening when we commit ourselves to doing whatever it takes to get somewhere. When you???re fully committed to doing something, you have no choice but to do that thing. Counter-intuitively, having no option ??? where you can???t change your mind ??? subconsciously makes humans happier because they know part of their purpose.Practice spirituality. ??? When we practice spirituality or religion, we recognize that life is bigger than us. For some that is prayer and a higher being, for others like myself, it is Yoga. Truly relaxing to a state of openness. We surrender the silly idea that we are the mightiest thing ever. It enables us to connect to the source of all creation and embrace a connectedness with everything that exists. Take care of your body. ??? Taking care of your body is crucial to being the happiest person you can be. If you don???t have your physical energy in good shape, then your mental energy (your focus), your emotional energy (your feelings), and your spiritual energy (your purpose) will all be negatively affected. Did you know that studies conducted on people who were clinically depressed showed that consistent exercise raises happiness levels just as much as Zoloft? Not only that, but here???s the double whammy??? Six months later, the people who participated in exercise were less likely to relapse because they had a higher sense of self-accomplishment and self-worth.
Comment by Anonymous — December 8, 2011 @ 8:45 pm
If you’re chasing happiness, you’re doing it wrong.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-smith/happiness_b_1152127.html
Comment by Anonymous — December 23, 2011 @ 1:09 am
If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else.http://ifindkarma.tumblr.com/post/15044617147/if-you-want-happiness-for-a-lifetime-help-someone
Comment by Anonymous — December 30, 2011 @ 9:36 pm
"90% of your long-term happiness is predicted not by the external world, but by the way your brain processes the world." ~ Shawn Achorhttp://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work.htmlhttp://www.facebook.com/groththedaker/posts/365039313507182
Comment by Anonymous — February 2, 2012 @ 8:07 pm
The 12 Laws of Karma:http://pandawhale.com/convo/539/the-12-laws-of-karma
Comment by Anonymous — March 10, 2012 @ 5:17 am