In order to determine how other people lead happier lives than others, it’s important to first look at what makes a person happy. There are probably thousands of things that can make a person happy, as well as make a person unhappy, but in the race to be happy many of us fail to see what exactly it is that will make our lives more enjoyable in the first place.
It’s important to realize that everyone is different in their tastes. What is good for you, may or may not be good for your best friend or someone else. It’s all relative really on a person’s interests. For instance, some people need to have that pleasurable morning brisk around the park to feel good about themselves for the day. Others might need friends or family to feel as if they’re worth something in the world. Believe it or not some people also need material possessions to be happy as well, it’s not completely unheard of.
Though everyone’s degree of happiness is influenced by their own personal interests, there are still many things that can weigh heavily on whether or not a person is truly happy. A few that come to mind are as follows…
1.) The basics of life, according to Abraham Maslow and his heirarchy of needs, is essentially physiological. Food, water, sex, sleep, the ability to breathe, vitamins, minerals, are all examples of physiological needs. While some of these, such as vitamins, sex, and minerals you can do without, others you can’t without seriously risking your overall health(although it can be argued that all of these are needed for adequete healthy lifestyles). The happiest of people more than likely have a good number of these things secured in their daily lives.
2.) Overall safety and security. This includes shelter, health, and employment. A person will more than likely lead a happier life if they have a place to call home each and every night, as well as having a job to help them hold that home in the long run. While many of us might complain about work, it’s important to realize that without a job we can develop into extremely unhappy people.
3.) Hobbies. Never should you underestimate the power of a good hobby. Whether it’s writing, drawing, reading, problem solving, sports, nitting, or any other worthwhile hobby, these things make us feel better about ourselves. It doesn’t matter what it is you do, so long as it’s something that interests you and doesn’t interfere with another person’s own sense of security or well-being. Besides, everyone needs to relax and have fun every now and then don’t they?
4.) Speaking of relaxation, take a breather now and then! Happy people are usually relaxed people. They know the benefits of taking time out in their busy day to just sit back and watch the clouds roll by. However, be sure to remember not to get lost in those clouds as well. Too much relaxation can breed laziness, which is often something that ends up making you miss out on many other things that can make you happy.
5.) Self-Esteem. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it amazes me how many people don’t realize that they’re not as happy as other people mostly because of their own doing. You should never doubt yourself, as that only helps you become more unhappy overall. So stay positive with everything you do, and if you encounter setbacks or rejection, learn from the mistakes you made rather than beating yourself up about them.
These are just five ways why people are often more happy than others. It doesn’t always matter that you have all kinds of material possessions, or that you exercise regularly(although exercise makes you healthy which is often a neccessity to being happy), rather it’s more what you do with your life, how you live it, and the attitude you have toward it that makes a person lead happier lives.
