We can't buy happiness?

[Steve]

When you sit there and think about it, how happy are you? Are you happier now that you run your own business or no? What is happiness based on? How can we all get happier? The Bliss We Can't Buy - July 11, 2007 - Ponder now the happiness gap. In 1974, economist Richard Easterlin pointed out that beyond a certain point—presumably when people's basic needs for food, shelter, public order and work are met—greater wealth does not generate more national happiness. The America of 2007 is far richer than the America of 1977. Life expectancy is 78 years, up from 74 years. Our homes are bigger and crammed with more paraphernalia (microwave ovens, personal computers, flat-panel TVs). But happiness is stuck. In 1977, 35.7 percent of Americans rated themselves "very happy," 53.2 percent "pretty happy" and 11 percent "not too happy," reports the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. In 2006, the figures are similar: 32.4 percent "very happy," 55.9 percent "pretty happy" and 11.7 percent "not too happy." Likewise, in most advanced countries, self-reported happiness has been flat for decades.

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[StartALawnCareBusiness]

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Your post reminds me of this joke: A Buddhist monk, visiting New York City for the first time in twenty years, walked up to a hot dog vendor, handed him a twenty dollar bill, and said, “Make me one with everything.” The vendor pocketed the money, and handed the Buddhist monk his hot dog. The monk, after waiting for a moment, asked for his change. The vendor looked at him and said, “Change comes from within.” With a wistful smile, the monk walked away. It's true, also, that happiness comes from within. Being content with what we have is sometimes a challenge. There will always be bigger TV's, shinier cars, and faster computers. Marketers want us to be dissatisfied with what we have so we will buy bigger, better, faster. I think contentment with your own life is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. You know what makes me happy? Striving and rising to a challenging situation. A couple weeks ago, I was really down ( I think we all get that way sometimes) and as I was moping around and feeling sorry for myself, I came across this video...I dig the sections when he's working out in the barn lifting rocks and doing those crunches in the loft at 1:15. http://youtube.com/watch?v=RYKfVH2TUBU

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[Steve]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]I think contentment with your own life is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.

Can there be place in a person's life to be content and yet still strive for further greatness?

Is it that striving that makes us unhappy as a society?

[quote]You know what makes me happy? Striving and rising to a challenging situation. A couple weeks ago, I was really down ( I think we all get that way sometimes) and as I was moping around and feeling sorry for myself, I came across this video...I dig the sections when he's working out in the barn lifting rocks and doing those crunches in the loft at 1:15.[quote]
I love the first and the last Rocky movies. The last one especially didn't get enough acclaim in my view. That was a great movie. The first one is a classic.

[StartALawnCareBusiness]

I can understand the paradox of my post but I really think the two ideas of 1) being content and 2) continuing to strive do not have to be mutually exclusive.

All things in moderation...including striving.

Long long ago, our ancestors had to hoard in order to survive. You couldn't let that mastedon go to waste. It was also necessary to fight for every morsal. Enough was never enough...for tomorrow it would be gone. Maybe we are genetically hardwired to never be completely satisfied and that's what helps us survive.

I've still yet to see the latest Rocky movie...or Transformers.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Long long ago, our ancestors had to hoard in order to survive. You couldn't let that mastedon go to waste. It was also necessary to fight for every morsal. Enough was never enough...for tomorrow it would be gone. Maybe we are genetically hardwired to never be completely satisfied and that's what helps us survive.

That may indeed be the case.