Happiness, who doesn’t want this? What is the concept of “happiness” and how is it interpreted by society. You can almost say that everyone longs for happiness. Yet happiness is not something that is the same for everyone. Psychologists and philosophers have debated this issue, but an unambiguous definition of happiness cannot be given. Is it the ultimate goal of life? The literal translation of it says: favorable coincidence, favorable circumstance. The translation seems understated.
Psychology
Doctors (psychiatrist and neurologist) explain it as a physiological reaction, the outcome of chemical body processes.
This can be explained like this, but the person who can experience happiness must also know what unhappiness feels like. Although the degree of happiness versus unhappiness is different for every person, you sometimes hear why someone has to experience so much unhappiness in their life. It then looks like an accumulation of unhappiness. The explanation for this is very diverse. You are less likely to hear if someone has a lot of happiness in their lives. He really has to be a Sunday child to stand out in terms of happiness. Is this jealousy again or is there less to say about someone’s misfortune? Everyone who speaks it has his or her reason why it needs to be spoken, only motives will be different.
Classical psychology focuses on people’s problems and psychological abnormalities. Positive psychology is a different direction, namely what makes people happy? Humanistic psychologist such as Abraham Maslow (American psychologist, 1908-1970) wanted more attention for psychological growth and meaning.
It actually only really came onto the agenda at the end of the last century. Martin Seligman (American psychologist and philosopher, born 1942) was the one who took the initiative .
What does the average person experience as “happiness”?
- No longer having desires
- Complete freedom of movement/no constriction of any kind
- Specific moments in life such as birth, wedding day, new love
This information comes from research. Roughly speaking, it can be said that these are moments where a high degree of satisfaction is experienced at a certain moment.
Who?
The common denominator is the following: being married, having a positive self-image and control over one’s own person. Not belonging to ethnic minorities and spending leisure time in a group are additional aspects that contribute to happiness.
Being extroverted helps because positive signals from outside are picked up more quickly. Being optimistic helps, after all, the glass is half full or half empty.
However, having all aspects within you does not guarantee happiness.
The Chinese actually explain it very simply;
- Someone to love
- Have something meaningful to do
- Something to hope for
Whether it is explained scientifically or the experts explain when they experience happiness, it remains difficult to explain unambiguously. In any case, it is fascinating.