One is happy as a result of one’s own efforts, once one knows of the necessary ingredients of happiness –— simple tastes, a certain degree of courage, self-denial to a point, love of work, and, above all, a clear conscience. Happiness is no vague dream, of that I now feel certain.
—George Sand
Do you agree with that? I do. I’m convinced that Andy and I are so happy because we have projects to work on, projects of our own choosing. The challenges keep us on our toes.
November 12, 2019
I totally agree, especially with your view of projects—they keep the ‘spice’ in our lives!
Yes. 🙂
It is not that I disagree with this at all…not on any point. I just know happiness comes from within…not from what we have and not from other people. And I think a lot of my happiness comes from ‘doing.’ Does this make sense?
That’s basically what I was saying, too, so it makes a lost of sense to me.
we can’t be “happy” all the time, there has to be a “balance” where either a small or larger curve ball is thrown on to our home base – with such force that we are knocked out…
this causes the balance and reminds us that life is meant to be lived, but if something untoward occurs we have some idea of how to rebalance that happiness.
In the last 18 months, my “balance” has been severely tested …and I’m in another (new) rabbit hole right now, I thought I had just got up to about level 4 of the 10 level hole, the other day but I’ve re-slipped down one level…
but I did buy my first Christmas for me this morning…and I’m looking forward to seeing if the other part of it can be bought later this week…it’s part of my new way of trying to re-balance back to semi-happiness…
No doubt about it, some times are harder than others, especially when our health is involved. I hope it turns out well for you.
PS To me happiness is an art, one that takes observation and practice. And learning to mourn our inevitable losses is a big part of it. You’re experiencing a big loss right now and are dealing with it well.
I’m trying to re-balance back to somewhere mid-point – but possibly an unknown mid-point – as changes have to be considered.
Sometimes in the past when my lower back goes into a spasm and I indirectly get out of it – I end up with sciatica. And this seems to be the case at the moment…it has all the hallmarks of the “thing” – it does go eventually. As the days have worn on, I’ve worked out little strategies. And I’m sitting here with kind of “foot stools” – one higher than other, but knee doesn’t collide with the base of the table…(one is a small plastic bucket, the other is an old tin with lid that once held biscuits)…it seems if I keep my little butt/buns slightly off the chair, it’s less pain… I had noted that when I was going out on bus yesterday and I just put my hand under my thigh slightly off the bus shelter seat, there was almost instant relief
but I also have to take everything slowly, especially getting up off a chair or getting down a step…
and then there are my other favourite tool, the rubber hot-water-bottle and just in case you wondering…https://www.thewarehouse.co.nz/p/living-co-hot-water-bottle-red/R2393454.html#start=1 – but I didn’t buy it at thewarehouse…
the other issues are not waning but the medication seems to be working – well the visual clues. Have no idea about the inner stuff, as I don’t have the doctors stethoscope or BP affair…
I would say I agree with that. Happiness is a choice. Even though people wouldn’t choose to not be happy it’s hard to get the mind to agree when things are going wrong in life. You have to have a certain mind set to believe that alll you need to do is decide to be happy.
It also takes a lot of commitment and practice.
I love her necessary ingredients. I think they are spot on!
the person who stays in my mind that was one of the happiest and most well adjusted people I’ve ever known is Mrs Anna Hancock. she was 105 when I last visited her. she prepared a lunch for Gram and me as her guests! and it was delicious!
like you she had had many projects … especially in the teaching field. she was well educated and her mind stayed sharp and her wit too! but when the time came that she could no longer do all the projects (health and mobility) she contented herself by being well read and enjoying the simplicity of everyday living. there was no remorse in her for what she used to be able to do. and she remained the most fascinating conversationalist I’ve ever met!
I aspire to her life and thoughts to this day! she would have loved this computer age! 😀
Thank you for sharing that!
I read somewhere that happiness basically comes from a sense of completeness. I agree with that. And I think completeness would necessarily include a clear conscience.
For me it also includes having a chance to use our talents. In my case, having challenges to work on. As usual, we’re all different. One size doesn’t fit all.
Nick, I was pretty sure a month or so back, I had that sense…then an innocent visit to the doctor for something quite different, put that “completeness” onto another planet…Catherine
Catherine, I’m sorry to hear that. It sounds like you were told something pretty bad.
Nick, “bad” but not on the radar of “times’ up” – rather maybe have to readjust life quite a bit to deal with things…and it wasn’t really new to me the innocent thing; 2 previous doctors in varying decades had said it was just normal!!!
It reminds me of the tale that if you don’t service and take care of the motor in your car, one day it will just stop working. And I think now, maybe if they had suggested ways to keep it serviced, then I wouldn’t be in this position now…
But we can’t turn the clock back…so must just accept stuff…and hope that medication will keep things in check…