What is Happiness?

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       What is happiness? The definition is completely different for each and every person. One person may think happiness is having a steady job with a wife and children. Another may think that happiness is getting to travel around the world. The fact of the matter is, there is not one specific definition for happiness. It is more of what makes YOU happy, which is different for everyone.


       Websters dictionary defines happiness as "a state of well-being and contentment." This is true for everyone, but what brings one to that state of well-being and contentment is what differs between us.


       While everyone has different things that bring happiness to them, one thing is true for everyone.The article "What is Happiness?" on www.pbs.org explains the factors of happiness when they say, "Martin Seligman, one of the leading researchers in positive psychology and author of Authentic Happiness, describes happiness as having three parts: pleasure, engagement, and meaning." Pleasure is doing the things that make you "feel good." Engagement is having a healthy balance of work, friends, and family. And meaning is all about how you are contributing to society with your life, your "larger purpose."


       There are many things in life that can bring people happiness, the key is finding which of these things apply to you. This is the easiest part, the difficult part is going out there and getting/achieving these things. Once you do this, you will be truly happy.