How Happy are you?

[Zulu]

On a scale of 1-10, how happy would you describe yourself? What contributes most to your happiness?

[micth]

I'm a 7, and always improving

A book that helped was 'the art of happiness' by the dalai lama. He basically says that to be happy you have to cultivate positive states of mind (compassion, love, etc) and eliminate negative states of mind (anger, fear, etc). He gives some effective ways of doing this, so go read that book. I also learnt that happiness doesn't come from material having material goods (money, cars) and that realization has also helped me a lot.

[AndyMartin]

I can never be happier than I am this moment, so I might as well be 10. Moments when I forget that I usually rank around an 8.

[Lotus]

I call trick question.

Happy compared to what? Myself? The world? A doorknob?

[DmitryDavydov]

Originally Posted by Zulu

On a scale of 1-10, how happy would you describe yourself? What contributes most to your happiness?

Where do I find a happymeter? Happiness is a man made concept. You are not happy or unhappy, your emotional state changes all the time. If you get into an accident and end up in a hospital, you'll be pretty unhappy. But what does that really mean? Aren't you going to be "happy" that you didn't die? And still be very "unhappy" that you are hurting, lost your car and can't cover hospital bills? So which is it?

[Michael Chui]

Originally Posted by DmitryDavydov

Where do I find a happymeter?

Inside yourself.

Originally Posted by Zulu

On a scale of 1-10, how happy would you describe yourself? What contributes most to your happiness?

5. Because that's the highest possible.

...what? You didn't specify! I pictured a bell curve!

And the top contributing factor to my happiness is me.

[starlequin]

Originally Posted by Zulu

On a scale of 1-10, how happy would you describe yourself? What contributes most to your happiness?

8-9 I think. I feel productive and purposeful in my life.

[ancksunamun]

On my happy scale (the usual 1-10) I am a 9. One minor toleration to sort out and then I will be in a place where happiness is of my choosing at all times.

The one toleration seems to regularly tamper with my usual positive outlook.

[dulaney0330]

I am very happy. Around a 9. Great job, loving husband, four cars, cute guinea pig, and financial security. Having a satisfying and fun job has really helped.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by DmitryDavydov

Where do I find a happymeter? Happiness is a man made concept. You are not happy or unhappy, your emotional state changes all the time. If you get into an accident and end up in a hospital, you'll be pretty unhappy. But what does that really mean? Aren't you going to be "happy" that you didn't die? And still be very "unhappy" that you are hurting, lost your car and can't cover hospital bills? So which is it?

I kinda think this way as well.

[Verlan]

I am happy with my current level of happiness, which is around 6-7 out of 10.

[marinik]

8 always finding things to be happy about!

[scotthegeek]

about 4 to 6

[AaronB]

I feel so greatly relieved that I no longer have to be happy. This is such a liberating realization for me. It feels good to just feel absolutely anything and to recognize that state as being 100% spot on and a live demonstration of the crystal clear intelligence that is flowing through us all at every moment.

As I feel any emotion, to me it is like seeing the cogs of a machine at work. Whether it is resentfulness or joyfulness or shame or curiosity, all of them are powerful expressions of intelligence. Each is beaming with life! As I learned to stop trying to manipulate these feelings by pushing the ones I don't like to the back and the ones I do like to the front, all emotions started to flow quicker. Each emotional state moving quickly to the next. I see one show up, do its thing, and shortly be replaced by another. There's no need to push or pull, they just move on their own with perfect timing.

I could say this makes me happy, but then it would be like saying the thing that makes me happiest is that I no longer feel like I'm supposed to be happy all the time. Now I'm off the hook, and I really really like that!

[Ne Cede Malis]

I like AaronB take.

I don't particularly relate to notions of happiness or for that matter positivity (also much vaunted on the boards). Same goes for their opposite numbers.

I'm tired of the glass half-full/half-empty argument - let's talk about the volume of water instead! Even one of my favourite bits of wise verse - Deciderata (you know the one ... go placidly amongst the noise and haste) ... emphasises the need to strive to be happy - rather than simply saying 'be happy'

Ne Cede Malis

[garentee]

I am happy right now...yesterday less so.. maybe tommorow moreso.. maybe even happier today or not...