Everyone defines happiness in a different way; whether it's what makes them happy, who makes them happy, how they maintain happiness, etc. We see happiness in different ways also, like people smiling or laughing, people giving and receiving gifts. Psychoanalyst and philosopher Adam Phillips stated, "Anyone who could maintain a state of happiness, given the state of the world, is living in a delusion." In other words, if you can be happy in a world full of crime and hate, you are faking it.
It is definitely hard to maintain happiness in this world today, but it's not impossible. Some people really are genuinely happy everyday of their lives. Personally, I'm not happy every single day but I am most days. That's because the people in my life make me happy and the things I do make me happy. I'm not going to do something that I don't like or that won't make me happy. Sometimes situations come up that I'm not happy with, but they pass and I eventually get over it. Even if someone is having a bad day, all they need to do is smile and it will boost their happiness. It really does work, try it!
Soldiers aren't happy to be off at war, but they are happy when they come home to their spouse, kids, and family. People aren't happy that Donald Trump is our president but they have to live with it everyday so they just ignore it and go on with their lives. Married couples aren't happy in their marriage, so they divorce and are happy again and move on. There are many examples in this world that people are unhappy, but there are always ways to get out of unhappiness and into happiness.
Philosopher Lynne McFall gives us five categories of happiness; the happy idiot, the incompetent bottlecap collector, the deluded fool, the successful immoralist, and the impossible idealist (McFall pp. 528). This list ranges from someone who is happy about absolutely anything, to someone who has unrealistic goals and is happy. No one defines happiness, so as long as you are happy, no matter the situation, only you can define your own happiness.
David Brooks states that, "Recovering from suffering is not like recovering from a disease. Many people don't come out healed; they come out different" (Brooks pp. 568). Meaning that people who have suffered from a situation, like the loss of a loved one, don't come out miserable about life. They come out different; with a different perspective of life, with a different purpose. Which then can make them happy again.
There are many ways to be happy and experience happiness; buying a gift for someone, doing something you love, etc. Everyone should find that happiness inside them and continue to make themselves happy. Don't let anyone define your happiness because no one knows what truly makes you happy, only you do.
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