What Needs to Happen to Make You a Happy Person?

Summary

Happiness is found through pleasure, engagement, and meaning in one's activities, rather than solely through financial wealth.

Abstract

The article explores the concept of happiness beyond the common misconception that it is directly tied to money. It suggests that true happiness stems from three key elements: pleasure, which involves doing things one enjoys; engagement, characterized by being interested in activities and connected to others; and meaning, the sense of purpose derived from one's work. The author emphasizes that while money can alleviate financial stress and provide opportunities for enjoyment, it does not guarantee happiness. Instead, finding joy in one's job, feeling connected to others, and attributing significance to one's work are crucial for a fulfilling life.

Opinions

The author believes that money can enhance happiness only to a certain extent, as it allows for financial freedom and the ability to partake in pleasurable experiences.
It is the author's view that a job or vocation must be inherently enjoyable to contribute to one's happiness, not just a means to earn money.
The article posits that engagement, particularly in the workplace, is vital for happiness, as it involves being interested in one's activities and fostering connections with others.
The author asserts that perceiving one's work as meaningful is essential for long-term happiness, especially since a significant portion of one's life is spent working.
The author suggests that even within a job that may not be entirely enjoyable, finding aspects that one likes can help maintain happiness.
The article implies that the pursuit of happiness should not be equated with the pursuit of wealth, as the two do not necessarily correlate.

Three tips for happiness to happen in your life

Whenever I see the word “happiness”, I wonder if it has anything to do with money. If you are like me, you may also wonder if a person has more money, will they be happier?

I suppose the answer is somewhat subjective because, with more money, you don’t have to worry as much about your expenses. You can be more extravagant with your expenditures, and travelling to another country is less financially stressful.

From this perspective, having more money correlates positively with happiness, meaning more money equals more happiness. However, there are people with much money who are unhappy and many with less money who are happy.

I am a happy person, and I am curious about what makes me happy compared to others. From research, three things make people happy: pleasure, engagement, and meaning. Let’s take a look.

1. Pleasure

Pleasure is doing things that you enjoy. If you continue to do things you dislike, you will eventually deplete your happiness reserves. Because of this, your job or full-time vocation must be something you enjoy. You will be unhappy if you work solely for monetary gain. If you feel trapped, you can look into specific aspects of your job to find areas you enjoy doing. If you can still encompass the fact that you enjoy doing that, you can still salvage your happiness!

2. Engagement

Feeling engaged means being interested in your activities and connected to others. In many jobs, we can interact with our clients. You will feel engaged and happy if you can enter into a highly engaged interaction with another person and feel that you are adding value to their lives.

3. Meaning

Meaning is your perception of the activity you are performing. Because we spend most of our time at work, our work must have meaning. If the job is meaningless, it will be challenging to do it for the rest of our life. As a result, meaning is critical if we want to pursue happiness.

As I had said from the beginning, we may have the impression that happiness is solely related to money. However, having the money but not having the pleasure, engagement, or meaning in work would only go as far as paying all the bills. Happiness is still missing.

To be happy, you need pleasure , engagement and meaning in whatever you do.

Thank you for reading. Here are some of my other articles:

What Needs to Happen to Make You a Happy Person?

Three tips for happiness to happen in your life

Why Humour Is so Important in Our Daily Life

Like to know my experience with humour?

Why Should You Not Burn the Candle at Both Ends?

How this idiom can be helpful if you are starting a new project

How You Can Tame Your Anger Before It Becomes a Rage

A possible solution to managing our anger before it turns into a rage