What It Means to Be happy?

Happiness like money is a highly controversial concept that means many things to different people.  And for some of us, it is even harder to define and narrow down those concepts.  It is something we all need, or more of, again just like money.  It would probably be safe to say that happiness and money goes hand in hand—kind of like two peas in a pod—you can’t really have one without the  other.  Some people say money makes you happy and some people say it doesn’t.  But when you don’t have it, you sure as hell won’t be happy. Unless; of course, you are a monk, living in the deserts of Tahiti.  

Did you know that one of the biggest cause of divorces and relationship breakups in North America is money or the lack there of?

So let’s define Happiness,
according to Wikipedia:

Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.
Philosophers and religious thinkers often define happiness in terms of living a good life, or flourishing, rather than simply as an emotion.
 Happiness economics suggests that measures of public happiness should be used to supplement more traditional economic measures when evaluating the success of public policy.

So, if happiness is a mental state of contentment to intense joy, what would you say brings on those emotions? Where did all your happiness come from?  Are we to believe that some of us were just born happy, and neither love nor money can shake us?

Or is it true that money in and by itself doesn’t make us happy, but it is the essence of what it represents—what it brings us?   What a load of crap!  Try telling that to the bill collectors and the store keepers.  Ok-ok—so it is the intense joy we get from spending the money.  Now it starts to make sense.  Now you see what I mean by controversial, eh?  Money doesn't make you happy, it is what it represent that makes you happy, but without it you don’t represent a thing.  Got it!  Remember Happiness is a state of mind...just think happy thoughts.

Now lets talk about the driving forces behind your happiness:  Money, Love and Faith.

For me happiness represents your core value system.  Which in essence are the things in life that makes us warm and fuzzy and give us the most satisfaction and motivation to do more.  Those are the things we love to spend our hard earned cash on.  Things like:

• Family/Children
• A big fancy house
• A nice Vehicle(s)/Rides/Limousines
• Education
• Health and Fitness
• Vacations
• Socializing/Partying
• Gifts/Charities and Donations
• Clothes/Shoes/Jewelry
• Food
• Toys/Gadgets/Electronics
• Tithes/Offerings

You name it.  Whatever it is you are spending your hard earned money on the most, those are the things that make you happy and the things you value the most in life.  So if you actions are not in line with your value system you essentially will not be happy.  You must strike that balance in order to be happy.

In short, what makes you happy are the things that you value the most and your faith and the things that you value the most are the things you will end up spending the most of your money on in life. ..and that my dear is a controversy.  Money may make you happy, but do not let it consume you.