I googled “happiness quotes” and in 0.56 seconds Google came up with about 1 120 000 000 results. Related search terms include sad quote, kindness quote, quote about optimism, quote about gratitude and lastly hatred quote. Initially, the first and last related search terms took me by surprise. But after a moment or two, I concluded that if you’re able to experience intense happiness, you surely have the ability to experience intense sadness. Sometimes all it takes is a split second to make the switch.
I asked my seven-year-old how he would define the word happiness. After pretending to ponder this question very deeply, he simply said: “It means that you have a beautiful heart. That’s really the only thing there is to it”. Is the secret to happiness a beautiful heart to begin with or is the beautiful heart the destination we’re heading to when we have found happiness? Most probably the secret towards happiness lies in the in the process. Because I have never heard of a fool-proof recipe for Happiness. Maybe the greatest common factor of happiness and a beautiful heart is choice. What is your default setting?
15 Comments
Margriet
8/18/2021 11:33:13 pm
Happiness means something different for everyone. It is difficult to define.
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Jeanette
8/18/2021 11:34:26 pm
My default setting for happiness is true embrace. One thing that we don’t want to do as humans is truly embrace something, we try to look and act tough but it’s hard, why is it hard? Because we are not made to be tough. Some say following Christ will give you happiness, but as a Christian you are allowed to be sad and unhappy, no one said that’s wrong. The moment we embrace that we are being that feel different emotions and embrace emotions we classified as bad like sadness and fear, we create happiness.
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Janca
8/18/2021 11:36:25 pm
Even though happiness can be experienced in an unexpected time/way - when others make you feel joyful and loved - most of the time happiness must be chosen, in order to experience it. And if you can't find happiness on your chase to experience happiness, you will miss the chances of being happy for most of the time. So don't chase happiness: savor the happy moments throughout your life!
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Eliana
8/18/2021 11:36:48 pm
I agree that you can experience both intense sadness as well as happiness. I think that the difference between having a beautiful heart is a choice, meaning, choosing to be happy and being grateful for what you have is a choice in the direction of a beautiful heart. When choosing to be sad and frustrated is also a choice, one who makes the choice to work through those emotions to reach a point where you are grateful and content shows endurance and is a wonderful character trait.
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Dehan
3/14/2022 02:18:10 am
I think my default setting would be neutral at the start of everyday and my mood would change depending on how I have been treated through out the day but also the saying that someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed also has application here.
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Julian
3/14/2022 02:18:55 am
Such a wise kid. Maybe it is a combination of the two. Maybe we sometimes start with a good heart and sometimes we end with a good heart. One or the other.
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Elandri Vorster
3/14/2022 02:19:21 am
I agree. I beautiful heart is the beginning. When your heart is beautiful and pure, you are thankful, you are loving and generous. Joy comes from giving more than receiving. It comes from humility rather than pride. When I let go of what I think I want and I love those around me, I don't have space to feel sad anymore.
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Wilhelm
3/14/2022 02:21:32 am
I do believe that happiness is the journey and not something that is given to you. When I think of happiness and when I feel it is time to experience it after a while I try to see the good in nature every day ... Be it in people, animals or things. I try to focus on something that made me smile that day and try to not be so hard on myself. As a musician I try to make music everyday ... Not practice the things that I must ... But try to make music that makes me feel good. I try to jog and gym to really get the feelings out. I also believe in the statement that happiness isn't experiences felt alone ... With happiness comes sadness, anger etc. May it be of anger towards injustice or whatever ... When I strive for happiness I strive to understand and experience my feelings
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Bernice Klopper
3/27/2022 06:21:15 am
Happiness is a choice and also a state of mind. You can choose how to react in any situation, either to seek for the positive or negative. You need to look for the good in little things and to have a positive outlook on life to truly find happiness. I agree with the boy's definition - a beautiful heart is the beginning of happiness, when your heart is pure and you have a positive outlook on life it is easier to experience happiness, but also to bring happiness to those around you.
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11/2/2022 08:25:29 pm
Rich home fight such.
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Moratwa
8/31/2023 01:56:14 pm
I wholly agree with this especially the part about being able to experience one feeling as intensely as the other. More often than not, we tend to ignore the other feelings because they are not as glorious as happiness/jubilation. I feel that if we took time to understand them we would be able to manage and deal with them better.
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Dilon
10/19/2023 09:19:01 am
I like "a beautiful heart". And I somewhat agree with the sentiment that it is a choice. I think we live in a society where we have a distant goal of happiness which exists somewhere in the future. "If I have, do, accomplish etc. I will be happy". But I think we loose ourselves in this, because happiness doesn't exist out there... we find it within us. It's about choosing to see the happiness in every moment.
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Sesona (Seso)
10/19/2023 01:16:12 pm
Happiness is not a concept one could easily define hence I believe happiness depends on each individual and happiness is a choice people choose to be happy, people choose how to feel, I don't think anyone was born with a feeling of happiness or happiness came naturally. I agree if you have a pure happiness, and you are driven by your positive mindset it becomes much easier to be happy or experience the feeling of happiness.
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Cara Snyman
10/19/2023 02:54:23 pm
Happiness is such a big emotion that I think most people strive to reach. Happiness is found in pursuing your passions, the activities that set your soul on fire. It's in the moments when you lose track of time, engrossed in something you love. It's in the joy of achievement, no matter how big or small. Gratitude, too, is a potent source of happiness. It's the daily practice of counting your blessings, of acknowledging the goodness in your life, even in the midst of challenges. It's in the smile that creeps across your face when you remember all that you have to be thankful for.
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Meré Upton
10/22/2023 03:22:36 am
I feel like happiness means different things to different people, but I agree with the "beautiful heart". Having a beautiful heart goes hand in hand with being happy and kind.
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