- Dave Eggers, You Shall Know Our Velocity
Would someone please let me in on the secret to happiness?
And the Answers are . . . : life is way too (fabulously and marvelously) complex for anyone to tell you "what to do." the best you can hope for is some guidance, from people you trust and who care about you, that you can piece together into a plan that seems like a good one to start you on path to where you want to go, knowing that you will need to make constant adjustments along the way. Hang in there. There's no happiness. Only moments of happiness. Or something. Revel in the moments, I suppose. Dear Michael, So glad you asked. In my personal experience, the simple secret to enduring human happiness in this world is: Like I know the answer! Hrrrrummmph! But I will let you in on rumors I've heard about it. 1. People feel happy/contented when they stop thinking about themselves and are engaged in thinking about/doing things for others. 2. People tend to feel happy in the midst of very simple, (usually free) activities. Hiking always makes me feel better, and typically the longer the hike the better I feel. Ditto motorcycle riding. And bicycle riding. I often feel happy when I'm so deeply engrossed in a book that I've forgotten all about all of the things I was worrying about. Solving some technical problem at work about which I was tense gives me a tremendous feeling of satisfaction. 3. Reframing. When you are experiencing a situation in a way that is making you unhappy, (or tense, nervous, etc…), it can completely change if you can detach from the feelings about it and see it from a different perspective. I've had a lot of success with this technique in relation to unhappy childhood memories and experiences. 4. Humor, humor, humor. Humor helps put things in perspective, and can often dispel that heavy, unhappy feeling. 5. Try to find one thing to be happy about each day. Ask yourself, 'What am I happy about today?'. Start with something very simple, and move to deeper, more profound issues. Just make sure and do that and you're set! Dear Michael, So glad you asked. In my personal experience, the simple secret to enduring human happiness in this world is: Cherishing the little things that make you feel good and laughing at the big things that stand in your way. Just make sure and do that and you're set! Much Love, I am not sure if I have an answer, but if you can figure out how to ask one of these two, you'll be well on your way. Dear Michael, So glad you asked. In my personal experience, the simple secret to enduring human happiness in this world is: Balance. Just make sure and do that and you're set! Dear Michael, So glad you asked. In my personal experience, the simple secret to enduring human happiness in this world is: In the earlier emails I sent that you haven't answered… :) Animals to pet and voyages to travel and money without working…. Just make sure and do that and you're set! Dear Michael, So glad you asked. In my personal experience, the simple secret to enduring human happiness in this world is: …lots of cash. It gives you the freedom to do whatever you want and the power to be able to do that. People pay attention to an independently wealthy guy. No one cares what a wage earner thinks (high or low wage). Just make sure and win the lottery or something and you're set! That's just my .5 cents, not sure what the exchange rate is. Dear Michael, So glad you asked. In my personal experience, the simple secret to enduring human happiness in this world is 1) learn to recognize when you are not content, as opposed to momentarily unhappy. 2) realize that if you are not content, you can and should change something. 3) change something. preferably the right thing, but if not, go to 1). 4) 5) take over the world!/profit!, depending on your goal. Just make sure and do that and you're set! (though i would surely like to know what other people think, as well.)