Photographs: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com
A recent study by American scientists suggests that 50,000 pounds (approximately Rs 36,00,000) can buy you all the joy you need. So we asked readers to share tips that help them rediscover happiness. Thank you dear readers for your responses. Here we share the last batch of responses we received.
True Happiness is very subjective and has varied definitions. Here are some examples based on different professions:
Priest: True happiness is when you reach that utopic state where you cannot differentiate between true happiness or true grief.
Businessman: True happiness is when he or she has made all the right choices and achieved what he/she desired. (Does not matter whether he had the abilities for the same).
Sportsman : His abilities has made him what he is. (The harder he tried the luckier he got)
Artist: People see in his art what he wants them to see.
Doctor: No true happiness exists because for every one patient that he treats there are two others left untreated.
Happiness to me is to able to look in the mirror when I wake up in the morning and smile thinking that I am not ashamed of anything that I have done. To be able to say to yourself that you have been responsible for all your decisions, good or bad.
To be able to say to yourself "I have lived". True happiness is when you have succeeded in creating happiness out of grief.
-- Harsh Agrawal
True happiness to me lies in being content. True happiness is thanking god at the end of every day and having utmost faith in him. Happiness depends on what you want in life, and the way you undertake in achieving it. Five points which illustrates true happiness according to me is:
- Loving your parents and sibllings to the maximum possible extent and to get loved by them. I have realised that it gives you the best feeling on this earth. Family support is very important.
- Chasing unnecessary things in life only gives you pain and sorrows sometimes. So better give them up. No point in chasing something so badly that you end up losing your peace and happiness. We need to draw a line between the need and the so-called worldly pleasures. A high salary is not a sure-shot way to happiness.
- Thank God for whatever you have. There are others suffering more than you.
- We should have a purpose in life. Without it, life looks pale. We should constantly try moving towards it, with honest effort and sincere hard work. No shortcut gives you real happiness.
- Knowing yourself also makes you happy, because it solves many problems.
-- Amit Kumar
For me, for true happiness one should have the following things:
- Good and understanding life partner
- Meeting all responsibilities in time
- Doing things which you really love to do
- Financial security
-- Soumendra Sarkar
Money is important but it is not the only factor on which happiness depends. With a salary of Rs 5,000 pm I used to enjoy myself as much as I do now, with a salary that is 6-7 times more. Why? Happiness is a state of mind. External factors do have impact on it, yet happiness comes from within and money can't buy it. Money is like the icing on teh cake.
- Take time out for yourself
- Read good books
- Make a trip once in a year with friends/family
- Spend time with kids and that's the best way to find yourself.
- Donate blood.
- Help the needy. Charity will give you satisfaction and will create positivity.
- Watch good Hollywood movies.
- Listen to old songs
- Go for dinner or lunch with family or friends, once a month.
- Share things with friends and family members
- Fight for the attention of people who love you. Love them when you are given the attention.
- Give time to your friends and family.
- Send gifts, expect gifts
- Visit your school, college on weekends, the memories will make you happy.
- Enjoy cycling, it's the best thing to do for health, to make environment green, to spend time with yourself
- Maintain integrity and values, be honest
- Lie only if you can confess or have a heart to confess (We tend to lie to our loved ones for no valid reason)
- Do what you feel is right and don't make excuses
-- Mitesh Soni
I live alone in the Middle East and my family is in India. I belong to a middle-class family. For the last 10 years I have been living alone, my family visits for 2 months and I go to India for one month.
I want to be with my family but for that if I come back to my country, I need at least Rs 9 lakh a year. Money is not everything but you need it for those who depend on you.
It is lonely, there are no friends to share your happiness with. But my family has been a big support for me the last 10 years. Every night my wife calls and it makes me happy to know what the family did the whole day, what my daughter did, what my son did and how my parents are. My father is around 75 and my mother around 70.
If I could the money that I need for a year, I would be the happiest person on earth because I could stay with my family.
-- Pushpender Sharma
Happiness lies within, it is just a matter of discovery. Earning 30 odd lacs of rupees will give you the bed but not the sleep; happiness but not the satisfaction!
To be happy we need to follow our hearts; so we will never regret anything.
- Pamper yourself, love yourself and then others.
- Spend quality time with your family and friends
- Take a walk down memory lane
- Make others (anyone you come in contact with) smile!
- Money can buy you happiness, if you know where to shop!
-- Pankaj Potdar
'Happiness is bringing a smile to someone's face'
Photographs: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com
You feel happy:
- When you provide food to hungry and water to thirsty
- When you provide material (monetary/ books/ knowledge/ consulting etc) to a person in dire need
- When your child makes you proud
- When you aim and achieve your goal before time
- When things go in your favour, without any expectation
-- Nandawat HS
For me happiness is just a few daily things I want to do freely:
- Spend time chatting with friends and my pet stray dog Sakhoo.
- Do some charity in god's name, to the needy and worthy.
- Spend time speaking to god when I am alone about the universe he created.
- Surf the internet and watch movies.
- Spend money, when I have it, as I want.
-- Nalini Jagnat Kudalkar
Happiness is in my hands no one can make me unhappy; it is only me that can make me unhappy.
Expectation's are the root cause of being unhappy I don't expect but take the day as it unfolds, enjoying every moment.
When unhappy I ask myself these three questions: what are my thoughts; what are my feelings; and what can I do better now to overcome unhappiness.
Nothing is permanent; all feelings are a temporary phase, it is for me to decide what I want to do and act accordingly.
-- Philip Robert Noronha
In my opinion, happiness depends on these factors.
- Don't compare your self with other people earnings or status.
- Have enough back-up money.
- Always be strong with your decisions.
- Be aware of society developments always.
-- Mahender Tirumala
It is our right to be happy.
Always remember that "This too will pass."
Practise not to talk ill of anyone (even politicians). It does not help.
Always remember: we have taken birth to do good karma and so slowly wipe out the old karmas.
Live and Let Live
Let others have their own point of view, practise another religion, worship another way. The Lord Almighty accepts all of us, then why do we bother. Long ago I was pressurised by a good friend to change my religion so that I would not end up in hell. My question was, 'If god wanted only one religion, why does HE give children to others?'
Help Ever, Hurt Never
By thoughts or words or actions. Whether at home, or office, or public place, let us practise to talk sweetly, Let us come forward to help whenever the need occurs. In Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, if you ask someone for directions, he will reply with clear guidance, repeat it again one more time and ask again if you have understood. You feel elated when some stranger takes so much time to help you. He too feels happy that he could help.
Love all, Serve all
Everyone of us is here because the Lord has sent us. Let us learn to forget and forgive the ones who have harmed us. Only then we can live and be happy.
Charity
The panacea for all illness in the world. When I visit patients in the hospital and talk to them, I always tell them this fastest cure on the earth: If your hand is broken, Pray to God that you will serve the poor with one roti at least per week with that right hand. Similarly in all other cases. I have seen a lot of miraculous cures.
Charity need not be money alone, go and talk to the old people in old age homes. Do whatever you can to bring a smile.
-- Gopalakrishnan
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