In the Bible, in a discussion of the Jewish holidays, we find an odd commandment: "And you shall rejoice!" But is happiness really a choice?
You can't command something if it's not a choice. So I've been asking myself: in what way is happiness a choice?
I'm thinking of gratitude. Yes, there are so many reasons to be angry or despondent. There are innocent people suffering across the world. Children don't have enough to eat. Nations are embroiled in wars. Peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians still seems like a far off dream. Global warming is real.
And of course there are personal reasons for feeling down. Life is chaotic and uncertain. Love can be elusive. Money is tight. Traffic is awful.
And still the biblical command echoes through time. You shall rejoice. Yes, there are so many reasons to cry, but it would be a crime to ignore all the reasons to dance.
It's so easy to wake up in the morning and say, "I'm having a bad day." You slept through your alarm, the kids are whining, you burned your toast, you spilled coffee on your pants, the freeway is a parking lot. But we all need to stop! Take a look around. The world isn't conspiring against you. What if the world is conspiring for you?
You are alive. You are here in this place at this moment. Take in the blessings that are here. Every one of us is surrounded by them. What are yours? What beauty did you ignore today? Look at the sky. Look at the earth. Listen to the sound of your own breath. Look into the eyes of the person beside you. Feel the strength in your arms and legs. Know the strength of your own spirit. The strength of your convictions. You power to act. You ability to make this world a little better for someone who is counting on you. This whole world is counting on you.
Yes, and then there's your power to choose.
Happiness is a choice. Choose it.
Your article has compelled me to echo your remarks on the relationship between happiness and gratitude. I am a registered psychologist in private practice in Toronto, Canada. The subject I am most passionate about teaching to my clients and lecture/workshop audiences is that of happiness as it relates to the science of Positive Psychology.
I dedicated my most recent newsletter to the concept of gratitude and how choosing to be grateful leads to increasing happiness. Here is a short excerpt from that letter:
We have long sensed that feeling and expressing gratitude is beneficial to our well-being. Through rigorous scientific research, this intuitive notion is finding indisputable support. The relationship between practicing gratitude and the resulting outcome of increased happiness continues to gain support through a mounting number of research studies. Psychologists are concluding that when we live our lives with a sense of wonder and appreciation and we become acutely aware of the blessings in our lives, feelings of sadness... and bitterness become ever more difficult to maintain.
I persistently encourage my clients and audiences alike to choose to focus on those things for which they are grateful. The variety of things for which one can be grateful may range from the sublime to the mundane. Based on the growing research and my own experience of bearing witness to my clients’ transforming lives, cultivating thankfulness and appreciation is amongst the surest paths to living a happier existence.
Dr. Tami Kulbatski, Psychologist
www.doctortami.com
Your article has compelled me to echo your remarks on the relationship between happiness and gratitude. I am a registered psychologist in private practice in Toronto, Canada. The subject I am most passionate about teaching to my clients and lecture/workshop audiences is that of happiness as it relates to the science of Positive Psychology.
I dedicated my most recent newsletter to the concept of gratitude and how choosing to be grateful leads to increasing happiness. Here's a short excerpt from that letter:
"We have long sensed that feeling and expressing gratitude is beneficial to our well-being. Through rigorous scientific research, this intuitive notion is finding indisputable support. The relationship between practicing gratitude and the resulting outcome of increased happiness continues to gain support through a mounting number of research studies. Psychologists are concluding that when we live our lives with a sense of wonder and appreciation and we become acutely aware of the blessings in our lives, feelings of sadness... and bitterness become ever more difficult to maintain."
I persistently encourage my clients and audiences alike to choose to focus on those things for which they are grateful. The variety of things for which one can be grateful may range from the sublime to the mundane. Based on the growing research and my own experience of bearing witness to my clients’ transforming lives, cultivating thankfulness and appreciation is amongst the surest paths to living a happier existence.
Dr. Tami Kulbatski, Psychologist
www.doctortami.com
You are confusing happiness and joy, they haven't the same meaning. Happiness in conditional, it means "to be elated" but usually we are ignorant why; joy means "being at peace and content because of understanding or assurance you will understand."
If we believers in scriptures actually lived them as is written Jews [Levites] would, wandering the earth sharing with whosoever would listen and doing it will be a blessing to those receiving us and a curse to those rejecting us, our experiences would have taught us happiness is conditional while joy is eternal.
Whenever I'm seen I am joyously emanating accepting whatever there is because I realize the purpose for them. As is widely believed, this civilization will touch the western horizon in December 2012 and will below it no later than 2028. My redemption is near. I no longer have to incarnate into this "lake of fire" of a civilization, no longer fighting evil and clinging to good because of misinterpreting my physical senses due to being conditioned to believe in them. I can face whatever comes at me of will have provisions provided to prevent me from having to endure it.
So yes, "rejoice, and again I say rejoice" because soon all these things will be behind me. I will be man integrated into one flesh, no longer a woven from man as Adam called us after Eve was taken from him. Rejoice if you know your redemption is near.
Fanned
Increasing my likelihood of achieving happiness takes more than momentary or even hour-long rejoicing. Happiness arises partly out of what we focus on, but focus is not entirely within conscious control. The pregnant women who suddenly sees hundreds of baby bumps and the new car buyer who sees his car (and color) at every turn didn't focus deliberately; their personal circumstances did that. Someone who is miserable will often be focused on what's bleak in the environment and not entirely by choice. For them, "choosing happiness" is unnatural, therefore, and requires greater energy, and energy is conspicuously lacking among the depressed.
When I was 23 I invented a product owned my own service-mfg. business, big boat, 2 airplanes taught myself aerobatics, pilot, hunter, fishing, Golf nut, started nonprofit Christ centered halfway house. Married had 3 kids. Lost it all at 32 bankrupt, pouted for 10 years(stupid me). Decided to change.
42 went to Law school loved it, sold used cars at street corner, was easy, graduated, my own business. Married, house, cars, money, 7 race cars. Lots of golf.
At 59 things went bad but I was happy. I was very sick. Doctors said they thought I had pancreatic cancer. I laughed, asked them to return when they were sure. Prayed about it. Still felt happy, going to meet Jesus.
No cancer they said,sad for moment Jesus would wait. I quit racing 700 horse Modified race cars I built and raced at circle tracks 26 nights a year, wife happy.
Had knee and hip replaced (racing wrecks) was back golfing at 6 weeks. Chasing my dog at beach had heart attack knew it, looked for dog 30 more minutes, wasn't worried about me, prayed about dog then went to hospital, cops called found dog in 60 min. Still Happy
Now Bankrupt, work for 1/10 old income, love job. Happier now than ever. Something good is next. I love Jesus. God is good.
i'm happy to be your very first fan, rabbi. shalom!