Define happiness??? Try it!!!! I dare you!!!!

Wait!!! Stop!!! Don't waste your time!!! You can't define happiness. The definition of happiness is one of the greatest philosophical quandaries. Fortunately or unfortunately (take it as you may), happiness, (there's that word again), like love, cannot be defined with mere words, so I'll have to attack the definition in a slightly different manner....

The difficulties in defining internal experiences....It is impossible to objectively define happiness as we know and understand it, as internal experiences are always subjective in nature. It is almost as pointless as trying to define the color green such that a completely color blind person could understand the experience of seeing green. While we can not objectively express the difference between greenness and redness, we can certainly explain which physical phenomena cause green to be observed, and can explain the capacities of the human visual system to distinguish between light of different wavelengths, and so on. Likewise, in the following, I can not attempt to describe the internal sensation of happiness, but will instead concentrate on defining its logical basis. Importantly, I will try to avoid circular definitions which can inherently be found everywhere -- for instance, defining happiness as "a good feeling", while "good" is defined as being "something which causes happiness".

While a person's overall happiness is not objectively measurable this does not mean it does not have a real physical component. Many neurotransmitters like dopamine are involved in desire and seem to be related to pleasure and subsequently happiness. Pleasure can be induced artificially with drugs, most directly with opiates such as morphine and heroin, which block dopamine inhibitors. This happiness is an artificial state and not the euphoric happiness which we as humans ultimately desire. Drug induced states eventually come to and end and can not be sustained indefinitely. Nevertheless, the exact chemicals and processes which correlate with happiness do not define the concept, they simply describe its biological "implementation" and attempt to quantify it.

True happiness is a choice YOU have to make. It is a state of being only you can create. Finding happiness is like finding yourself. You don't find happiness, you make happiness. You choose happiness and accept it as a state of being....as a way of life!!! True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through self-actualization which is a process of discovering who you are, who you want to be and paving the way to happiness by doing what brings YOU the most meaning and contentment to your life over the long run. Realize that true happiness lies within you. Happiness is an inner state of well being. It is a state of well being which enables you to profit from your highest: thoughts, wisdom, intelligence, actions, common sense, emotions, health, and spiritual values. Waste no time and effort searching for peace, contentment, and joy in the world outside or in any one individual.....you'll never find it!!! You must look within to find what was there all along. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving!!!! Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is contagious...when you reflect happiness, then all others around you catch happiness too.

Happiness is the motivational force which drives human beings to do everything that human beings do, every single day. Happiness drives people to climb mountains, dig ditches, eat, drink, think, emote, live, and die. Happiness has no opposing force nor an equal. Sadness is by no means the opposite of happiness. A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.

Finding true happiness is a very personal journey. I invite all of you to take this journey for no one else but yourself as this is the only way to discover it....or should I say uncover it!!! Like life making this choice is by no means easy, but human free will is a remarkable and powerful force once truly realized..... ¶ 6:18 AM