Happiness is often associated with emotions of joy, gladness, satisfaction, peace, and many others. But how do we define happiness? Each of us has probably experienced it at some point, yet somehow, when we try to explain what it means, it seems complicated. According to the Oxford Dictionary, “happy” means “feeling or showing pleasure or contentment.” To hone in on what that emotion means, look at pleasure, “a feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment.” These words often result in circular definitions, with “pleasure” defining “happy” and “happy” used to describe “pleasure.” Since this circular reasoning gets us nowhere, perhaps it is better to think less about what words define happiness as how it occurs.
Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think about a memory that brings you pleasure, joy, contentment, or happiness. What elements are present in that and other memories of the sort? Is it the weather, the people, the physical sensations, the intellectual parts? Most likely, you cannot find one particular item that caused that emotion. Instead, it is an accumulation of different factors. One of those factors is your personal choice.
How can I choose to be happy, though? If everything is going well, the sun is shining, and I am out with friends, how can I not be happy? Yet, think about it. Even in that sunny situation, you may have thoughts in the back of your mind that cloud your experience of pleasure. It may be a test you must take or conflicts with your boyfriend or girlfriend. But in that situation, you choose to enjoy your time. Thus, happiness is a choice, a choice you can make. You have probably heard that the difference between attitudes and mindsets will change your experience, even if you cannot change the circumstances you are going through.
When you experience negative situations and events, you can still choose to be happy, to see the silver lining, so to speak. This may mean that instead of complaining about how boring a general education class is, you focus on the fun science or English class you are taking. Not only can we choose our emotions, we can also choose our actions, which will affect our emotions. For example, when you feel lonely, you call a friend you have not talked with for a while instead of moping. These small choices and changes can often differentiate between good and bad days. So while emotions may go wherever they wish, you can choose which ones you will focus on. If you can change your circumstances, take advantage of them and actively choose happiness.
(This by no means is dismissing depression as a person’s lack of desire to be happy. If you or anyone you know is experiencing prolonged sadness, lack of interest/motivation, or other symptoms of depression, reach out for mental health help, for that is not just a choice issue.)
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.