Happiness and positivity, these two things aren't always an easy thing to achieve. Today, I will be telling you my ways, to a happy and positive life. In a certain time in my life, I wasn't the happiest camper. I struggled with self image and being positive. At that time I decided that I wanted to be happy, that I was tired of being the negative person that every one thought me to be. I thought that materialistic things would make me happy, I was wrong. I'm not here to make you feel bad for me, I'm here to tell you that everything will be okay, and that every day will not be the best day of your life. You choose to be happy, nothing can make you happy but yourself.
I asked a few Whyvillians questions about their struggles with happiness, and their tips on happiness and positivity.
XkaylaX5: What makes a person truly happy?
luckyme41: I think that once a person is accepting and satisfied with themselves, with confidence and control over their life, they will experience true happiness, as cheesy as that sounds. But think about it: If you don't like yourself, how are you supposed to be happy?
Beautyqu3: There is nothing that makes a person truly happy. Material is always a thing to make a person happy for a short period of time. No one can be truly happy, not with the human nature of greed. We can always get something that can make us happy, but we always want something more. We are never satisfied, therefore we are never truly happy.
Panduhz: Doing what you love and living the way you want with full support.
MintClean: I think that being satisfied with life can make someone happy.
britishviola: That is up them to figure out. Happiness is subjective. I'm sure fat people find that food makes them happy, just as much as killing makes serial killers feel happy.
delp: In my opinion, true happiness arises when you realize that you will not be happy 100% of the time. It is normal for humans to feel an array of emotions as we react to our environment. When people try to feel "happy", they too often try to imagine a life without any sadness or anger, which is unreasonable and it only ends in disappointment.
XkaylaX5: What makes you truly happy?
luckyme41: While everyone finds happiness in different ways, I believe that mostly everyone shares the similarity that they find joy in doing something they love. For me, it could be drawing, painting, writing, reading, talking to friends, listening to and playing music, or simply just relaxing after a stressful day. Everyone is different, and might find more joy in other activities or combination of activities, such as sports, music, art, writing, photography, ANYTHING AT ALL! Just don't be so dependent on hobbies, jobs, and friends that you forget who you are.
Panduhz: I'm truly happy when I'm able to crack open a window on a nice day and paint.
delp: For me, I find happiness in pursuing what I really love while accepting that there are going to be hurdles along the way. I try to focus on the feelings that I will experience once I have leaped over a hurdle rather than focusing on what I'm experiencing while figuring out how to leap over it.
XkaylaX5: What's your definition of happy?
luckyme41: I think being 'happy' is being satisfied with your life. Obviously, not everything will be perfect and just the way you planned or wished it would be, but happy with the major parts of your life, the big picture.
Panduhz: When you look totally normal to everybody else, but you can feel the corners of your mouth naturally form a smile without thinking.
delp: Happiness is when I feel in a state of complete satisfaction with where I am in life. This doesn't necessarily mean that things couldn't be better in my life, but rather that I am content and proud of who I am.
XkaylaX5: Do you consider yourself positive?
luckyme41: Okay, I'll be 100% honest: I am not necessarily the most optimistic, cheerful ball of positivity. However, there is always that little sliver in me that nags at me, saying, "Anything could happen!" And there is a 50% chance that that 'anything' could be negative....OR POSITIVE!
MintClean: I do. Yes, at times, I can seem negative, but overall I am optimistic.
XkaylaX5: If so, how do you stay positive? Share.
luckyme41: As I said above, nothing is set and stone. Whether you are religious or not, know that there is a plan for you and there is no way that you can know every detail of that plan. Things can always get better, and they will eventually!
panduhz: I think of everything, little or big, that I can enjoy and that I love that I can always go to. I also try doing nice things once in a while cause it makes me feel great when I cause someone else to smile.
bestviola: I cut all the negative people from my life, to start. I guess I just try to keep the idea that I'm still young and have the rest of my life ahead of me in mind when I'm struggling through something.
britishviola: I try my best to see the good side of things and seeing the best of a bad situation. Usually it's when other people are falling apart and I'm trying to stay level-headed just so they don't completely fall apart. Usually it's in a team setting so you can somewhat say it lacks altruism in that respect, because my success and failure depends on theirs. Otherwise, I just listen to some Wu Tang.
XkaylaX5: Favorite quotes, lyrics, books?
luckyme41: One of my favorite quotes that I think about when I'm feeling like NOTHING is going right for me, is this one. Not only does it remind you that you are you, just like everyone else: with flaws, bad pasts, insecurities, with imperfections that make us perfect as we are, but it also makes me chuckle a little whenever I read it. "There's nothing wrong with being a loser. It just depends on how good you are at it." -Bille Joe Armstrong
britishviola: "These days, man knows the worth of everything, but the value of nothing." -- Oscar Wilde. As for a book, I read, but I can't choose one. Lyric: I've been too honest with myself, I should have lied like everybody else. - Manic Street Preachers
delp: "We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses."
XkaylaX5: At a point in your life, were you unhappy?
luckyme41: Obviously we can't be little rays of sunshine at all times, but there was never a major point in my life where I was seriously unhappy. I like to think that God has made his plans for me, and everything happens for a reason.
bestviola: Yes, I've been through a lot of bad. I've dealt with clinical depression since my early teens and an abusive relationship, but I've pulled through.
delp: I was a very negative person when I was younger because I constantly felt like the world owed me something that I was not getting. I constantly blamed other people and external situations for my own state of unhappiness rather than realizing that happiness was a choice the entire time. Learning to realize that I was at fault for what I was feeling wasn't an easy task, but it was a lesson I was happy to be taught.
XkaylaX5: Your tips on TRUE happiness and positivity?
luckyme41: Accept who you are and try to make yourself as good of a person as possible, but don't be shaped by society. Find something that brings you joy, but don't be materialistic. Find friends that are good for you and remember your family, but don't lose your independence. Once you find your perfect balance, say hello to a life full of positivity and happiness!
Panduhz: Do you and only you cause only you knows you.
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MintClean: Find comfort with things you enjoy. If everyone were to realize that there are people who care, then a lot of things would change. Don't spend too much time dwelling on the past, instead look towards the future and know it will get better, and that this is just a bump in the long road that is your journey. Don't be happy for other people, but be happy for yourself. I got that through my head and that helped me out a great deal.
bestviola: I'd probably say that ridding yourself of the negative people in your life helps a lot. Anyone who is bringing you down isn't worth it. Keep an open mind when looking towards the future. We're all relatively young on Whyville and have our whole lives ahead to achieve what we want. Cats and chocolate help, too.
britishviola: Do what makes you happy as long as you're not hurting anyone else.
delp: The best tip I could ever give someone is reminding them that negativity and positivity are both just habits. If you're a negative person, then negative thoughts are always going to come to mind during any situation. Even if you don't believe it, forcing positive thoughts into your head when you're faced with an unpleasant situation can be the start of a life-changing habit. Eventually, it's going to be those positive thoughts that come to mind instead.
Tip #1 Is my favorite quote by Atmosphere; "Everyday can't be the best day, do what you can right now don't hesitate, that's why we try to make love and get paid, take the bad with the good now lets play" Like I said earlier, not every day will be the best day, you will have bad days.
Tip #2 Thoughts become things, I cannot stress this enough. Take this as you will.
Tip #3 Is another quote, by ModSun "My favorite shirt is my skin, I'm in love with myself, Every flaw is really beauty, On nobody else, The world would be a better place, If this is how everyone felt, So until we see that say, I'm here to offer some help, My favorite shirt is my skin" I take this lyric religiously because still to this day I struggle with body image.
Tip #4 Read the book "Did I Ever Wakeup" if you can't buy it ModSun has it listed many places as audio books.
Tip #5 It's a bad day, not a bad life.
Author's Note: I suggest that every single one of you go and listen to ModSun, he has changed my life SO much. & please give feedback!
