Comments on: What Makes Us Happy?

By: Janet

Janet — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 22:49:24 +0000

Sometimes darkness comes
at times not after sunset.
It dwells in the mind.

The night is longest
in loneliness and the cold.
Darkness chains the soul.

But the stars still shine,
and night is not forever;
a sun will return.

When fear casts shadows,
rest your heart in the lark’s song,
and remember dawn.

By: Kendra

Kendra — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:15:37 +0000

This might be your best post, yet! (But you just keep setting the bar higher and higher every day.)

First of all, I concur with every word in your post.

Secondly, I think positive psychology does have a lot to offer. At first blush, much of it seems like common sense. But the reality is that people (myself included) fail to exercise common sense on a daily basis.

This list is a great set of “reminders” that we are, in fact, in control of our own happiness.

I particularly like number three. (And loved your closing, where you practiced this.)

You have inspired me to do the same:

Today was particularly challenging and I faced many obstacles and a long list of items that needed to be “checked off.” However, I also went on a revitalizing run in a gorgeous park with my two loving doggies. I stopped to greet and thank a few strangers during my journeys. I’m about to enjoy a yummy thai-inspired salmon dish for dinner. And tomorrow is the first day of my psychiatry residency, which is nothing short of a miracle and a blessing!

By: Dream Mom

Dream Mom — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 23:31:24 +0000

I agree that there is a lot to be depressed about: the BP oil spill, genetically modified foods and lack of good healthcare for the poor and disabled as well as good payment for physicians. On the other hand, happiness is a choice. Learning to find the simple pleasures in life goes a long way. Ironically, I wrote a post about caregiving today and listed some of the same items that your research showed along with a few other things that I learned along the way. Good post.

By: MG

MG — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 21:43:46 +0000

@Greg P: But we’ll somehow muddle through and it won’t seem as bad in the moment if we’re present and committed to doing our best. For example, the Great Depression was a terrible time, but life went on and there was no moratorium on joy (c.f. The Great Depression by Studs Terkel, since I’m way too young to remember those days).

What’s more, the GD shaped people in ways that made many of them great gifts to the society. I feel very lucky to count some GD children among the most wonderful & influential people I have known — their willingness to share their experience & lessons has helped to shape me, too.

By: Greg P

Greg P — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 13:41:13 +0000

My addition:

Take heart in the fact that things will surely be worse, much worse, in the future.

By: Jacqueline Johns - Your Happy Life Mentor

Jacqueline Johns - Your Happy Life Mentor — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 03:40:15 +0000

Great post!

I especially liked your candid closing regarding your crappy day. We all have them – it’s just a matter of how we react to the crap in our lives that makes the difference.

I am going through what I hope will be the most challenging time of my life, yet I am so grateful for the warm bed I curl up into at night, the beautiful winter sunshine turning droplets of water on a branch into glistening diamonds, the creek (complete with ducks) I walk or run past every day, the love and support of my kidults. I could go on and on and on, but you already know where I’m coming from, because you live there too.

I hope people like you and I can continue to show others the way to happiness – it’s so easy.

Live Life Happy!

By: robin andrea

robin andrea — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:01:54 +0000

I’ve been thinking about you, wanting to share this disastrous bit of personal news. Roger was just diagnosed with colon cancer, and he’s a medicare recipient. We have no idea what this will mean for us, both in terms of his prognosis (still awaiting a second opinion on the biopsy for one lesion that’s questionable in terms of malignancy [the first mass is definitely malignant]), and how it will affect the willingness of doctors to continue treating medicare patients like Roger. We practice most of your eight-step list, but sometimes life just has a way of slamming you around a bit. Still, we go out to photograph the dragonflies; we cook delicious and nutritious food; we work in the garden and feed the birds. All the while our bodies do their slow declining dance.

By: gloriamundi

gloriamundi — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:50:41 +0000

Can sanity be infectious? I do hope so – Dr Charles is doing his best to infect all of us – for which, thanks!
I expect you know the book “Happiness” by Matthieu Ricard? A scientist turned Buddhist monk, and you don’t have to share his religion (is Buddhism a religion, in the usual sense of the word?) in order to value greatly much of what he says.

By: Chrysalis

Chrysalis — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:01:14 +0000

its decline….sorry. You know me.

By: Chrysalis

Chrysalis — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:00:19 +0000

With all that is happening in healthcare, three of us decided to start a site that would help to focus on positive things. Please come over and join us @ http://www.positivemedicalblog.com. It’s meant to be a place where we can share and interact. We know the climate in healthcare is steadily getting worse and it makes it increasingly difficult to find joy in what you do, but we also know how important it is to try not to drown in it’s decline. Come visit a place where we try to focus on the positives. We’d love to have you.