Im sorry but saying that happiness is a choice is ridiculous in my opinion. Im not an overly depressed person but the way i see it, somtimes you're up, sometimes you're down. Im happy most of the time but if life is shit one day im not one for walking about with a smile on my face kidding on life is great. If other people want to do that then fair enough, but its not for me!
how you FEEL is your choice, that includes happiness and a whole host of other emotions. and of course it varies greatly. and when something shitty happens, of course one would choose to feel sad/bad about it. i am not discussing discounting reality. i really don't understand why so many are reading so much more into it. from the getgo i said as much.
and yes, of course i am generalizing, basically that's what you do whenever you discuss large groups of people. i already said from the first post, depression in and of itself is a whole other issue, b/c then obviously there is an illness/imbalance in the works that obviously you cannot 'make' go away on your own.
i am also not suggesting people be fake, untrue to themselves. to me, the whole line simply means owning your feelings, knowing they are yours....and yes...that you can CHOOSE them. obviously, brain chemistry plays a huge role, but as we all know, we CAN choose to alter things in our body, we do exert some control. ie: tibetan monks significantly lowering their blood pressure thru meditation. so imho, we can do similar things with our emotions. we may not be able to control outer stimuli or even our initial reaction since so much is instinctual....but we can from there decide how to progress IF we choose. i believe we can. many times we may not, but that doesn't mean we can't.
also, i think speaking in general terms for overall healthy people, it does come down to a 'glass is half empty/half full' attitude/mindset. haven't you ever met someone who is generally just a miserable person? no *real* reason for it, just a negative attitude/outlook, and always see the worst? conversely, the perennially sunny person who seems generally happy/content most of the time, rather positive, etc? both extremes, and both could generally have the same sort of position in life, but entirely different attitdues about it. to me, that's what it's all about. not being 'extreme'....just seeing things as is, and then taking ownership of your own feelings. it may not happen all the time, but being aware of it....and choosing how you want to feel/think/be. i believe it.
from the very beginning, i never offered more than my opinion on the topic, posed a question for other thoughts/opinions, b/c that's all that it can be. there is no hard and fast 'proof' in either direction. to me, i believe we do have that choice...if we choose to do so.
How can you choose to feel happy?? Its a natural reaction in my opinion! When im enjoying myself im happy naturally, when something shitty happens like someone i know dies or i split with a girlfriend im down and i couldnt CHOOSE to be anything other than down!!
People say im paranoid. Well, they dont say it, but i know that's what they are thinking.
How can you choose to feel happy?? Its a natural reaction in my opinion! When im enjoying myself im happy naturally, when something shitty happens like someone i know dies or i split with a girlfriend im down and i couldnt CHOOSE to be anything other than down!!
yeah but you can CHOOSE to bring yourself back upto been happy?
ie, you can choose to be happy, despite a sad situation....although death is defo an exception to the rule, it involves grief, which is only natural
How can you choose to feel happy?? Its a natural reaction in my opinion! When im enjoying myself im happy naturally, when something shitty happens like someone i know dies or i split with a girlfriend im down and i couldnt CHOOSE to be anything other than down!!
i really can't say it any better than i did. obviously, i cannot do a sufficient job for some to fully 'explain' what i think/mean. all i can say is, you CAN. there is reacting, and there is choice with that. you CAN control how you react, or what you do after that first reaction. oftentimes we WILL choose to wallow, to be sad....b/c it's appropriate and needed. it also helps us down the line to choose to see the good again in our lives, and work towards future happiness. obviously, many may believe life is all about REaction. to a certain extent, it is...but there is so much more. take from it what you will and/or completely disregard. just my own thoughts on it....glad to see so many think on all sides of it.
yeah but you can CHOOSE to bring yourself back upto been happy?
ie, you can choose to be happy, despite a sad situation....although death is defo an exception to the rule, it involves grief, which is only natural
I couldnt, im telling you i couldnt lol, not trying to be rude but if im down im down, and ill recover, but it might take time to recover. I never think to myself, fuck it, im going to be happy today.
People say im paranoid. Well, they dont say it, but i know that's what they are thinking.
Comments
how you FEEL is your choice, that includes happiness and a whole host of other emotions. and of course it varies greatly. and when something shitty happens, of course one would choose to feel sad/bad about it. i am not discussing discounting reality. i really don't understand why so many are reading so much more into it. from the getgo i said as much.
and yes, of course i am generalizing, basically that's what you do whenever you discuss large groups of people. i already said from the first post, depression in and of itself is a whole other issue, b/c then obviously there is an illness/imbalance in the works that obviously you cannot 'make' go away on your own.
i am also not suggesting people be fake, untrue to themselves. to me, the whole line simply means owning your feelings, knowing they are yours....and yes...that you can CHOOSE them. obviously, brain chemistry plays a huge role, but as we all know, we CAN choose to alter things in our body, we do exert some control. ie: tibetan monks significantly lowering their blood pressure thru meditation. so imho, we can do similar things with our emotions. we may not be able to control outer stimuli or even our initial reaction since so much is instinctual....but we can from there decide how to progress IF we choose. i believe we can. many times we may not, but that doesn't mean we can't.
also, i think speaking in general terms for overall healthy people, it does come down to a 'glass is half empty/half full' attitude/mindset. haven't you ever met someone who is generally just a miserable person? no *real* reason for it, just a negative attitude/outlook, and always see the worst? conversely, the perennially sunny person who seems generally happy/content most of the time, rather positive, etc? both extremes, and both could generally have the same sort of position in life, but entirely different attitdues about it. to me, that's what it's all about. not being 'extreme'....just seeing things as is, and then taking ownership of your own feelings. it may not happen all the time, but being aware of it....and choosing how you want to feel/think/be. i believe it.
from the very beginning, i never offered more than my opinion on the topic, posed a question for other thoughts/opinions, b/c that's all that it can be. there is no hard and fast 'proof' in either direction. to me, i believe we do have that choice...if we choose to do so.
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
yeah but you can CHOOSE to bring yourself back upto been happy?
ie, you can choose to be happy, despite a sad situation....although death is defo an exception to the rule, it involves grief, which is only natural
i really can't say it any better than i did. obviously, i cannot do a sufficient job for some to fully 'explain' what i think/mean. all i can say is, you CAN. there is reacting, and there is choice with that. you CAN control how you react, or what you do after that first reaction. oftentimes we WILL choose to wallow, to be sad....b/c it's appropriate and needed. it also helps us down the line to choose to see the good again in our lives, and work towards future happiness. obviously, many may believe life is all about REaction. to a certain extent, it is...but there is so much more. take from it what you will and/or completely disregard.
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
I couldnt, im telling you i couldnt lol, not trying to be rude but if im down im down, and ill recover, but it might take time to recover. I never think to myself, fuck it, im going to be happy today.