2023-07-27 18:58:00
Oman- Happiness and the search for its source is a topic as old as humanity. Humans are always searching for it, but its criteria differ from one person to another. Some of the amazing things that we may think make us happy have a negative impact on our emotional and psychological state.
Life skills trainer Jane Salaita says, “A person seeks to satisfy his basic needs, including food, drink, safety, health care, and education, and continues to crave after material things in the hope of finding happiness.”
And she continues, “After achieving the goal, a person feels joy, joy, and enjoyment for a short period, then these feelings disappear and he returns to zero point, and he begins to search for other sources that he might feel happy, such as owning a car or a house, or obtaining achievements, certificates, money, and trips, and after achieving any goal within a period of time.” Short returns again to zero in feelings.
Salaita points out that all these achievements will not make a person feel self-fulfilled or reach the desired happiness.
Happy people usually tend to follow a healthy lifestyle and exercise (Pixels)
The true source of happiness
So, what is the true source of happiness? Trainer Salaita answers that happiness is an internal decision that a person takes on himself despite the challenges and difficult circumstances, and mentions some ways through which a person can feel happiness and inner satisfaction with himself, which are:
To train himself and change what is inside him in order to accept the reality that happened to him, such as illness, failure, financial loss, or the loss of a loved one, so that he does not fight or reject reality, especially if things are beyond his control. He does not exaggerate the size of the challenge, but rather he must see the good in every challenge, and try to learn the lesson from it. Happiness is a way of life and a way of thinking: Train your conscious mind to be constantly thankful for the blessings that God has bestowed upon us. Constantly cleanse yourself of negative emotions, such as hatred, jealousy, envy, and others, so that you can receive divine light, love, and inner peace.
Fake happiness
In turn, the researcher and social counselor, Dr. Fadia Ibrahim, mentions some amazing things that we may think make us happy, but they do the opposite, and thus achieve “imaginary or temporary happiness”, including:
Excess accumulation of property: Although most people believe that enjoying material things brings happiness, after a while they can feel stress and anxiety from managing these things.
Constant thinking about the future and excessive planning: We may think that constantly thinking about the future and making careful plans makes us happy, but in fact it makes us miss the opportunity to enjoy the present moment.
Excessive concern for appearance: We may think that caring too much about our outward appearance makes us happy, but it can lead to us not accepting ourselves as we are.
Negative effects of social media: Excessive use of social media can cause feelings of frustration and stress.
Postponement of happiness: When we delay happiness and link it to the achievement of certain goals, we may miss the opportunity to enjoy the small moments of joy in everyday life.
Counselor Fadia Ibrahim says, “It is worth remembering that happiness lies in the ability to accept ourselves and enjoy the present moment, and that it comes from within and is not directly related to external circumstances,” considering that the individual’s sense of satisfaction with his life is of great importance and has several positive effects on his personal and psychological life.
Feeling satisfied with life helps improve mental and emotional health (Shutterstock)
A sense of satisfaction
The researcher, Fadia Ibrahim, points out the importance of the feeling of contentment in life, and the multiplicity of its benefits as follows:
Improving mental health: Feeling satisfied with life helps in improving mental and emotional health. When a person is satisfied with his life, he is better able to deal with challenges and psychological pressures.
Strengthening social relationships: People who feel satisfied in their lives are usually more attractive to others and easy to deal with, and this helps in building healthy and enjoyable relationships with others.
Increase productivity and creativity: When an individual feels happy and satisfied, he is more involved and productive in the work and projects he undertakes, and his feeling of satisfaction increases his ability to think creatively and create solutions.
Improved physical health: Feeling happy and satisfied may also positively affect physical health, as happy people usually tend to follow a healthy lifestyle and practice physical activity.
Ibrahim concludes her speech by saying that the individual’s sense of satisfaction enhances the quality of his life in general, and contributes to achieving balance and inner happiness, which positively affects all aspects of his life.
Misconceptions about happiness
For his part, Time reported (TimeSome things that an individual thinks make him happy but are wrong, such as:
Avoid negative emotions: Research concludes that suppressing negative emotions is a barrier to good health, and one study suggests that suppressing emotions such as frustration can make people more aggressive and unhappy.
Residence in a city: Research has found that urban living often translates into stress, anxiety, and plain old unhappiness. According to one study, people who resided in cities were 21% more likely than those who lived in rural areas to develop anxiety disorder and major depression.
Lots of free time: Researchers have long known that having enough time to appreciate things is critical to well-being, but it turns out that having too much free time can be just as bad as too little.
Chasing success: Since we were kids, many of us have been taught that if we work hard we’ll get the perfect high-paying job and we’ll get one promotion and then another and live happily ever after. But experts say checking these accomplishments won’t actually make you happier, at least not for long.
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