# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.body
After through evaluation from all sources presented, it is safe to conclude that happiness is not achieve by completing a single task nor is it attained by just plain hard work. It seems that happiness is accomplished after a series of components of one's life have fallen into place. These factors go hand in hand and once in place a person can be satisfied with were they are in life. I would say that by far the most crucial part necessary for receiving happiness would be acceptance of one's self. When someone is finally able to tell them self that they welcome who they view in the mirror everyday. When there is no reason to complain about life. Of course, having a healthy body, a healthy mind, a positive attitude, a clean conscience, and a good finical situation help with this tremendously and sometimes argued to be essential. In the end, it is the habits preformed everyday that lead to a chain of events which in turn, leads to a happy life.

# data[].attributes.body
“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” -Abraham Lincoln

"There is no path to happiness: Happiness is the path" - Gautama Buddha

"Happiness is not a goal... it is the by-product of a life well lived" - Eleanor Roosevelt

# data[].attributes.body
In a short interview conducted with a random individual, some questions were asked regarding the topic:

1)How does one attain true happiness?

(interviewee): Starting good early in life. Getting good grades in school and getting a good job later. This would make you happy but if money was an issue or if there was small conflicts in the way that would make you unhappy.

2)What are the most important factors in attaining happiness?

(interviewee): Things that would go into it would be good mental health, community and physical health in general.

3)Do you believe that there are things that are out of your control prevent one from attaining happiness?

(interviewee): Yes, because other people are out of your control. For example if someone is having a bad day and then starts yelling at you, your not going to be happy with that.

4)What is the biggest obstacle that prevents happiness?

(interviewee): The biggest obstacle would probably be a negative attitude

# data[].attributes.body
As science proves,we can't change our genes, but we can change ourselves. As many already know, the  choice of one's  thoughts, behaviors, and actions has an impact on their happiness.  By choosing good thoughts, behaviors, and actions it makes someone want to do them again. Repeating good habits will will the in turn, increase happiness.

# data[].attributes.body
It is proven that a healthy body often leads to a healthy mind. When both mind and body are healthy, they also tend to be happy. People with good physical health have said to feel better and have higher self esteem. When someone has confidence and learns to accept their body, they will report being happy. Not to mention the relation ship is also the other way around. when someone feels happy, they feel motivated and their health improves as a result.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to main content

A new review indicates that subjective well-being-factors such as life satisfaction and enjoyment of life-can influence physical health.

"Scores of studies show that our levels of happiness versus stress and depression can influence our cardiovascular health, our immune system strength to fight off diseases, and our ability to heal from injuries."

A new review indicates that subjective well-being-factors such as life satisfaction and enjoyment of life-can influence physical health. The review's investigators also examine why this is so and conditions where it is most likely to occur.

Subjective well-being may exert its effects on physical health through health behaviors, as well as through the immune and cardiovascular systems. Although scientists still are exploring and debating when happiness most affects health, there is no doubt that it can do so.

With more research, it may one day be informative for clinicians to monitor individuals' subjective well-being just as other factors are currently assessed. Individuals should also take responsibility for their health by developing happy mental habits.

"We now have to take very seriously the finding that happy people are healthier and live longer, and that chronic unhappiness can be a true health threat. People's feelings of well-being join other known factors for health, such as not smoking and getting exercise," said Prof. Ed Diener, co-author of the Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being article. "Scores of studies show that our levels of happiness versus stress and depression can influence our cardiovascular health, our immune system strength to fight off diseases, and our ability to heal from injuries."

Link to Study: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aphw.12090/full
About Journal
Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being (AP:HWB) is one of the two official journals of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP), the oldest worldwide association of scholars and practitioners of the discipline of psychology (founded in 1920).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
applied psychology: health and well-being

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Skip to main content A new review indicates that subjective well-being-factors such as life satisfaction and enjoyment of life-can influence physical health. "Scores of studies show that our levels of happiness versus stress and depression can influence our cardiovascular health, our immune system strength to fight off diseases, and our ability to heal from injuries."

# data[].attributes.body
Even by definition, happiness is not the same as pleasure. Many might pursue momentary pleasure, believing that your happiness is the same as pleasure. However this life style still leaves those who do feeling empty and still unhappy long term. "True happiness is not the result of DOING, but of a way of BEING"(Dr. Margaret Paul)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Some people believe that achieving happiness is the purpose of life, yet the pursuit of happiness often leads to unhappiness. This is because happiness is actually a consequence of a different life purpose - the pursuit of evolving our souls in our ability to love ourselves and others.

When achieving happiness is your goal, you might pursue this in three different ways:

1. You might pursue momentary pleasure, believing that your happiness is the same as pleasure. When this is your belief, you might pursue happiness through substances such as alcohol, drugs, nicotine, or food. Or you might pursue happiness through activities such as sex, spending or gambling.

2. If you believe that your happiness is attached to money and the outcome of things regarding money, you might pursue control over outcomes through spending most of your time working, as well as accumulating and managing money.

3. If you believe that your happiness is attached to people, you might pursue control over getting love, approval, attention, admiration, or acknowledgement.

While momentary pleasure feels good, it is just momentary. Which means that you need to keep on doing whatever you believe will bring you happiness, over and over. This is what creates addictions - the pursuit of what you believe will avoid pain and bring pleasure. The problem is that none of these pursuits bring deep and abiding happiness, because their effects are always momentary.

True happiness is not the result of DOING, but of a way of BEING. Rather than resulting from the momentary pleasures of the outside world, it is the result of your intention to evolve daily as a loving human being.

What does this mean?

This means that ongoing happiness is the result of choosing the spiritual path of kindness, compassion, understanding, and acceptance.

Yet it is not enough to express kindness and compassion toward others. Many have tried this and still end up feeling empty and angry when the deep happiness they desire continues to elude them.

The path toward happiness starts with opening to learning about what is most loving and compassionate toward YOURSELF. You can have all the things that people believe will bring happiness - money, a good relationship, a family, work you enjoy - yet if you are critical and judgmental toward yourself instead of accepting and compassionate with yourself, you will not feel happy.

Imagine a child who seemingly has everything - tons of toys, the best schools, great vacations, lots of friends. But imagine that this child has parents who ignore him or her, or who are very critical, judgmental and controlling of him or her. This child will not be happy, no matter how many external things he or she has.

Imagine that this child is you - the feelings within you. How are you treating this child? How do you treat your feelings? Do you ignore your feelings and cover them over with substance or process addictions? Are you judgmental of yourself, constantly telling yourself that you are not good enough, that you are inadequate in some way?

Ignoring or judging yourself will always lead to unhappiness, so matter how much you have in the external world or how loving you are to others. Until you decide to start treating yourself the way you want others to treat you, deep and abiding happiness will elude you. As long as you are treating yourself the way your parents may have treated you or themselves, you will continue to feel the emptiness and aloneness that comes from self-abandonment.

If you want to experience true happiness, then start a devoted Inner Bonding practice and learn to pay attention to your own feelings with a deep desire to learn about what you are doing or not doing that is causing your pain and unhappiness. Happiness will be the natural consequence of your willingness to take full, 100% responsibility for your own feelings, and learn about and take action regarding what truly brings you joy,

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs
CC BY-NC-ND

Bookmarked 3 time(s)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Inner Bonding teaches the skills necessary to learn how to love yourself and heal from your past. Clients include singer Alanis Morissette and Lindsay Wagner. Daily Inspiration: Do you awake each morning excited about your day, or do you awake wondering why you are alive?

# data[].attributes.body
Keeping one's innocence could be a factor in happiness. It is said that having guilt causes you to be unable to accept one's self. Perhaps being hung up on something make it impossible or very difficult to let go and release anger or sadness. When there is no guilt, it is very easy to forgive. When there is guilt, it is very common to deny the truth.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A bunny is sitting peacefully outside my study window as I write these words.

He (or she) is absolutely gorgeous. He lives beneath the large blue spruce tree that grows outside our front door and provides him with security and shelter. I hope he has a long and happy life with the help of this tree and his own highly honed survival skills.

I didn't think I would be writing a post about this bunny this morning. For one thing, I hadn't seen him for a week, perhaps longer. No, I had it all planned out to write a post about various books that have been helpful to me in my life, and have blessed my life. But when I looked outside a few moments ago and saw this bunny, I started to think about innocence.

Key to happiness and fulfillment

The bunny - he is still there, resting peacefully in the grass at the very edge of the tree that is his friend and protector - is surely the very personification of innocence.

He has a good turn of speed, I give you that, but what options does he have to defend himself against the coyotes, for example, which roam this neighborhood?

The only thing that has kept him alive so far in this townhome complex in which JoAnn and I live is that he is a very alert little bunny- and as I say, can cover a lot of ground very quickly indeed.

The paradox of truth

It's true that innocence, in the sense I'm speaking of it here, does not necessarily guarantee a long life to any particular physical form, our own included. But there's a beautiful paradox in life:

When we are truly innocent - that is to say, open to the call of our own eternal Self - we find ourselves connected with the truth at the core of our being that is the very source of all true meaning and happiness.

7 benefits of innocence

Here are 7 reasons why I think it behooves each of us to inquire deeply into this matter of innocence:

1. Reconnect with our own being

Innocence makes it possible for us to reconnect with our own divine character - which is itself innocent, untainted and untroubled by any of the disturbances and troubles of human existence

2. Hear the voice of truth

Innocence makes it possible to hear the clear, strong voice of our own eternal spirit speaking to us amidst the noise and confusion of this world

3. Live a daring life

Innocence makes it possible to live a daring life - because we trust the impulse of our own inner wisdom, and are willing to follow it whether others agree with us or not

4. Meet the challenges of life

Innocence makes it easier to accept and meet the challenges that life brings to us or to our loved ones or others

5. Helps us change easily

Innocence makes it possible for us to change as readily and easily as possible. Since change is an absolute necessity, this is an attractive aspect of innocence.

6. Experience the beauty of life

Innocence makes it possible for us to see and taste the authentic beauty and magic at the core of our existence

7. Makes it possible to forgive

An unforgiving attitude or spirit is a hard burden to bear. Innocence makes it possible to forgive - and easy to forgive.

The bunny is still there as I finish this post. I thought for a moment as I looked out the window that he was asleep. But as I stood up to leave and get a snack, he opened his eyes wide and looked straight at me.

Hmm. Another reason why innocence should be high on our priority list. It opens our eyes to the connection that we share with all other living things on this planet.

What is innocence?

What is true innocence? It's not naivete, that's for sure. I like the words attributed to Jesus: "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, harmless as doves" (Matt 10:16).

I also like some words of the Indian sage, Ramana Maharshi: "The ultimate truth is so simple; it is nothing more than being in one's natural, original state."

Please write if you have any thoughts you'd like to share on this theme of innocence.
Please check out my guest post at Good Life Zen entitled ""The 10 timeless joys of aging."
Have a wonderful holiday season. Be well.

Picture credit:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1221/4723574011_9bd4852732_m.jpg
Tagged as: Happiness, innocence, Trust, Wholeness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Innocence - door to true meaning and happiness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A bunny is sitting peacefully outside my study window as I write these words. He (or she) is absolutely gorgeous. He lives beneath the large blue spruce tree that grows outside our front door and provides him with security and shelter.