How do you define happiness?

How do you define happiness?
Prepared for: Mr. Rotella as a requirement for Composition I
Prepared by: Kaitlyn Stewart
10/06/2014

Webster’s Dictionary defines happiness as “feeling pleasure and enjoyment because of your life, or situation”, when in reality it is much more. Happiness can be achieved in many ways, but once one a person fails they cease to try again. That failure holds them back from achieving the happiness that they deserve. Achieving happiness can be an easy task if you look at it the right way. Attaining happiness can be accomplished by a simple task such as getting enough sleep. Another way to reach happiness is to have faith. Most importantly, you have to learn to love yourself.
In an article by John B. Thomas called Don’t Worry You Can Be Happy he states “Happiness relies largely on things unrelated to money, such as meaningful activities and enriching relationships”. With that the article states ten points, two that I agree with completely. The first point that I agree with is to get enough sleep. People who do not get enough sleep tend to be more irritable and unhappy. Those who get the amount of sleep they need tend to be more patient, alert and more extroverted. So when looking at happiness we notice that when we get enough sleep we are happier.
Another point John B. Thomas makes is to have faith in a religious way or just in life in general. Both of these types of faith will bring the happiness that we deserve. As we look around in today’s world we see many people becoming sick or very ill. As we look at these people we notice that those who have more faith make a quicker and stronger recovery. Their faith radiates off of them and helps bring positivity and happiness to those that surround them. If we can’t have faith, how do we plan on surviving in this world? Our world is become harder and harder to live in every day with all the negativity that it gives off. In the news all they focus on is the negative news such as, the Ebola outbreak, school shootings, and murders. With all this negativity that is being brought into light, it’s hard for us to focus on the positive things that this world gives us.
Another way happiness can be achieved is being able to love yourself. If we never tell ourselves “You’re beautiful”, “You deserve happiness” or “You’re worthy of life” we can never truly be happy. In this day in age we have people who would rather die than be who they are, which is sad to think about. If we can teach these people that it is okay to be different, we can achieve the happiness that we deserve. So many people struggle to find happiness in their lives because they are looking at life in the wrong way. If we show them how to look at life positively instead of negatively, this world could and will be a better place to live in.
When I think of ways to be happy I automatically think of the people that surround me. In order for me to be happy I surround myself with friends who are happy. Their happiness projects itself towards me and impacts my life as well as theirs. Another thing that makes me happy is by helping others. When I help others I feel happy knowing that I helped them achieve what they wanted. Being there for others can be self-gratifying and boost happiness for both you and the person who you are helping.
It had occurred to me halfway through this essay what the definition of happiness really is. Happiness to me is, random acts of senseless kindness. When you walk down the street and someone smiles at you and you smile back, that random senseless act can turns someone’s whole day around. When close friends or family members call you just to talk, take that moment for granted because in that moment they were thinking about you and you should be thankful for that. It’s that simple, to be happy you have to give out happiness. That to me is what happiness is.