Pleasure Versus Happiness

“ Money can’t buy you happiness, but it brings you a more pleasant form of misery”

-Milligan

Happiness and unhappiness are opposite sides of a judgment about your situation. If you judge your situation as bad for you, that's unhappiness. If you judge a situation as good for you, that's happiness.

The experience of happiness is one of those general terms we use to say, "I feel good emotionally." People use different terms to describe what feels good for them. For someone it might be excitement, passion, exhilaration, fulfillment, freedom, feeling fully alive with inspiration and joy. For another it might be more peaceful, content, capable, hopeful, satisfied, and comfortable feeling. Whatever you call it, it just feels darn good.

Our natural state of being is to be happy. When you remove all the uncomfortable emotions we humans can experience (and they are numerous), you're left with happiness. So it's easiest to define happiness by what it is not.

You might think that happy people have lots of money, are financially attractive, have great jobs and own the latest gadgets. Or, you might just think that happy people are lucky because they are born  that way. That doesn’t mean that if you have lots of money, it’s happiness,,, but , there are things that can make you happy, that money can’t  buy. It is indeed and advantage over others if you have lots of money but this is not a factor in determining happiness. Happiness  is not pleasure although they appear similar. You might find pleasure in buying a new car, going out for a vacation here and abroad, inviting friends over dinner in the finest restaurants in the city.

 Pleasure is enjoyed by simply attaining whims. It mostly focuses on material things in which people think can make them happy. On the contrary, happiness is a long lasting enduring enjoyment of life. It is being in love with living and the healthy ways of life. It is your reward for achieving a good character and personal values in life. A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather, a person with a certain set of attitudes.

Happiness is:

When you hear you favorite song while crossing a roadside shop

and your face breaks  into a sudden smile of fond memories

of the song and the situation….

When your work is appreciated at work and school

and when your efforts are appreciated at home…..

When you complete or finish an assignment on time

and feel the glow of achievement in your heart….

When you read a heart-warming article and tears well up in your eyes,

making it difficult for you to continue reading….

When your mobile phone slips out of your hand,

but continues to work without any hitch….

When you enjoy the early morning walk,

with the sun shining on your face

and the breeze cooling your body….

self doubt
depressed
hateful
fearful
worried
unsatisfied
bored
grief
shame
guilt
discontent
anxious
annoyed
angry
irritated
stressed
frustrated
upset
down
sad
envious
or
jealous.

Whew! That’s a long list!