https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry Happiness is a fleeting, temporary state of mind and by Jove I'm gonna figure out why en-us 2019-04-29 17:10:19 UTC 2019-05-31 05:11:54 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-uploads.storage.googleapis.com/319546268/1179682d27f6c413e77cd0b465e5f6a7/download.jpeg benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/355126059 To figure out how to obtain happiness, we must first figure out exactly what happiness is. "Happiness is the state of feeling or showing pleasure or contentment."
This is the definition that Oxford dictionary gives the word happy.
"Happiness is a state, not a trait; in other words, it isn’t a long-lasting, permanent feature or personality trait, but a more fleeting, changeable state."
Happiness is not something that is permanent, which in and of itself proves that it is impossible to be happy forever. Moreover, it is a changeable state of mind, which means that it could disappear at a moment's notice.
"Happiness is equated with feeling pleasure or contentment, meaning that happiness is not to be confused with joy, ecstasy, bliss, or other more intense feelings."
So happiness is more on par with contentedness, not joy. This means it is a more passive, subtle feeling as opposed to the passion ignited by stronger emotions.
"Happiness can be either feeling or showing, meaning that happiness is not necessarily an internal or external experience, but can be both." 
This is a difficult concept to wrap your head around, but it basically means that happiness is not something that comes from a definitive source, which makes it harder to pinpoint what brings it along.


With happiness being such a large and vague concept, it is difficult for people to agree upon boundaries to define it.

]]> 2019-04-29 17:29:14 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/355126059 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357289382 What does it mean to be happy?
How does one attain (and sustain) true happiness?]]> 2019-05-06 17:02:17 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357289382 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357289952 -How can external forces impact happiness? 
-How does happiness change over time? 
-What sacrifices are acceptable in our pursuit of happiness? 
-What have we learned from the “darkness” associated with our authors and characters this year? 
-What does this suggest about happiness? 
-What do their stories mean to you and what you need to do in order to be happy? ]]> 2019-05-06 17:03:28 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357289952 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357290965 Your Padlet should include a variety of resources you find as you research what it takes to attain happiness. Articles, videos, images, textual examples, past assignments, and interviews are just a few examples of what you can include in your Padlet. You also must include a variety of posts in your Padlet: links, images, videos, voice recordings, interviews, drawings, etc. 

 As you add to your Padlet you should also reflect, analyze, make connections, and provide arguments. You can do this through writing, video, images, art, music, or anything you can think of in order to share. Be creative, analytical, and open minded! ]]> 2019-05-06 17:05:44 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357290965 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357292862 Consider external sources-how can they make people happy? Is it enough?
How does one exhibit happiness? How do we know if someone is truly happy?
Build questions off of your initial research...be curious and think about this from different viewpoints.]]> 2019-05-06 17:09:33 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357292862 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357294508 The term happiness is often used to describe a range of positive emotions. 
Many researchers use the term interchangeably with "subjective well being," 
which they measure by simply asking people to report how satisfied they feel with their own lives and how much positive and negative emotion they’re experiencing.
Positive psychology researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky elaborates, describing happiness as “the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile."
So happiness is not just the fleeting positive feelings, but also is a deeper sense of meaning and purpose. ]]> 2019-05-06 17:12:58 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357294508 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357297509 "Research has shown that long-term happiness, feeling contented with life, stems from feeling and being in charge of as much of our life as possible. It's not about smiling all the time nor does it stem from money or health, but a self-belief you are on the road you want to be on."
"The problem many of us face however is that we live out of sync with what matters most to us and we find ourselves doing a lot more things we don't like, meaning the things that contribute most to our happiness slip-off our agenda."
"To find out what being happy means to you, ask yourself what's important to you in your life. What is meaningful to you? What are the things that give you a deep sense of satisfaction and as a result, bring you happiness?"]]> 2019-05-06 17:19:03 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357297509 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357300698 The human brain has a reward pathway in the middle of it which allows us to experience pleasure. The brain recognizes something as a good thing and rewards us with pleasure.

"In modern culture, we think happiness should be the default state, otherwise something is amiss. But that's not how the brain works. The brain adapts to anything: You could have a favorite meal that makes you happy, but if you have it all day, every day, you'll be fed up with it in literally every sense. Your brain stops paying attention, it doesn't idle well. So while you don't have to do anything to make yourself happy, it loses all its potency. The pursuit is a good thing. It's all about motivation. People who are born into wealth, great privilege and power, they don't seem particularly happy because they don't have to strive for anything."
"Because it's not easy to be happy, the theories about a secret to happiness aren't realistic – or at least they're a huge oversimplification. Anyone offering a quick-fix solution – and there are plenty of self-help books that do – should be taken with a massive grain of salt. For every person they help, there's at least one for whom it won't work, because the brain is the most variable thing in the world. There never will be any simple answer."]]> 2019-05-06 17:26:00 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/357300698 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/360448164 To attain happiness, one must find their purpose in life and be satisfied with where they are. Since everybody is different, there is not one single way to attain happiness, but rather a loose set of guidelines that can help a person find what makes them happy. Rather than relying on outside sources to give them happiness, a person must find happiness withing themselves, which is why it is so difficult to obtain. In addition to this, a person cannot be happy without being sad. There is not way to be happy forever. However, having a deeper sense of satisfaction with life allows a person to bypass the low points in life because they know that it will get better. In order to find happiness, one must become satisfied with who they are. 

There are several common ways that people obtain happiness. People frequently misunderstand and believe that what makes them happy will make another person happy. This is incorrect, since all people have different ambitions and motives. One of the best ways to obtain happiness is to be proud of what you are doing in life. It is difficult to pinpoint how to achieve this, however. Some people may get it from working on a project. Some people may get it from helping others. Both instances involve working and progress. This is why people often suggest taking up a hobby: it gives a person something to work towards. ]]> 2019-05-15 16:59:35 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/360448164 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/360452019 Many people think that being happy is a permanent state of ecstasy. This is incorrect. There is no way to be happy forever. There cannot be happiness without sadness. Sort of like Yin-Yang, one cannot exist without the other.]]> 2019-05-15 17:08:24 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/360452019 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/360903025 Happiness is a finicky word because it holds different meaning depending on the circumstances. However, in these circumstances it most likely means a state of positive well being. This means that a person is satisfied with what they are doing and where they are in life. They are not always joyous, but they do not feel like their life is missing something. So in this research, the terms happiness and satisfaction can be substituted for each other.]]> 2019-05-16 17:27:08 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/360903025 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/360904960 Toothpaste on a Saltine]]> 2019-05-16 17:30:57 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/360904960 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/360905684 Achieving happiness is one thing, but maintaining that state of satisfaction is even more difficult. Life constantly changes, so it is important to know how to keep your happiness is the face of these obstacles. One of the things that absolutely demolishes satisfaction is comparing yourself. By comparing yourself to somebody else, you are doing nothing but hurting your own efforts and making yourself less satisfied with your life. To maintain happiness, it is also important to know that happiness is not a permanent state. To be happy, it is better to focus on being satisfied with where you are in life, and not to seek out a constant state of euphoria. Every high has a low. It's also important to know that you aren't perfect. Accepting these flaws and not focusing on them is vital to self-improvement. Flexibility is another important aspect of satisfaction. Recognizing and adapting to harmful situations is a valuable skill.]]> 2019-05-16 17:32:13 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/360905684 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/363015913 2019-05-23 17:02:13 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/363015913 benjaminwom1946 https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/364825084 2019-05-31 05:08:38 UTC https://padlet.com/benjaminwom1946/smqy17u4xkry/wish/364825084