The true concept of happiness
Eijaz Mir
Scientifically, the concept of happiness can be defined as the well being of a person in terms of his physical, mental, social, emotional, psychological and spiritual existence. Since from the existence of human beings, the concept of happiness has been related to different themes and dimensions of living.
Different people have different opinions on this subject matter. The concept of happiness varies from one person to another. People found it through different ways and means. The concept of happiness is not limited on any concrete subject matter. But one thing is sure and without any doubt that we all need to be happy.
People want to remain happy and jocund in their lives. They want every second filled with the feelings of happiness and joy. People want their lives filled with extreme happiness, absence of every sorrow and pain. They don’t want their lives to be filled with miseries.
Happiness has different meanings and definitions. Some school of thoughts have related it to ones well being. Some have related it to fun and pleasure. Some have defined it with the concept of materialism and royalty. Some have compared it with easiness, where miseries and sorrows have no interference at all.
In other words, we can say that different psychological schools of thought define it with their own perceptions. There is another school of thought which says happiness is seeking pleasure and avoiding sufferings. This is a big question and we need to explore it. Are we really happy by following pleasure principle school of thought?
The real joy and happiness lies within one’s own self. If we are happy, we could make others feel happy too. If we are not happy, we could never make other people feel happy. We could make others feel joyous, when we are able to keep ourselves happy. The questions arises here, are we really happy with ourselves?
This question seems too simple in its content but when we think for a while, we could come to know how difficult it is. For a while think rationally and give its answer. Are you really happy with yourself? Is happiness anything that could be touched or is it a commodity which we can buy on money.
Yes, you are absolutely right, it is neither money which could buy it nor any commodity at all. It is rather a feeling which comes to us naturally in the form of emotions and there is no device which can measure it. Happiness is a state of mind when we feel contented to ourselves.
Let it be our job or other dimensions and contents of our life. Suppose, if a person is fighting his own self. If, he is struggling with his own feelings and emotions. If he is not happy with himself, how is it possible that others could be happy with him. He could never make others feel happy. Unfortunately, we measure happiness with the wrong instruments.
Let me highlight some of such worldly instruments. Sometimes we measure it with someone’s money, luxury and other material aspects etc. Sometimes, we think that absence of fear, problems, and sufferings is a state of real happiness. We don’t like to face hurdles, pains, suffering, problems etc. and absence of them in our lives seems to us real happiness.
Mainly, we compare happiness to the desires which give us pleasure. Sometimes people say that pleasure in one’s life is real happiness. Mistakenly, we have been comparing the concept of happiness to different psychological philosophies, which do not have cent percent accuracy at all.
Happiness to different school of thoughts have different meanings. There is no accurate and solid definition to this term which could be universally accepted. The subject matter of this term varies from one school of thought to other school of thoughts. Here I will discuss one school of thought which simply defines pleasure is a real happiness.
Believe me, if we follow the same principle in our lives, it will prove a catastrophe and disaster rather than any kind of joy and happiness. Pleasure sort from any undue action will change the parameters of the world. This school of thought has a serious and grave causes and consequences and demerits too.
In this pre-context, people will see and feel wrath like situations. Such people who sort this kind of happiness shall harm the feelings and emotions of many people. It will create the confusion and hindrances to the society and our social set up. In this sense, we become the menace for our people too. The pleasure seeking principles and avoiding suffering is having another tragedy. This school of thought has a series of limitations. Following this school of thought, people will always fall prey of various uncertainties. And believe me, they could have always such fear of uncertainty where they would always feel such fear. But unfortunately, majority of the people especially our youth are following this kind of happiness. They don’t want to face challenges, suffering and other difficulties. This is the myopic concept of happiness and believe me it is turning us more depressed and alienated from the good people.
A true concept of happiness is an experience of fulfillment and accomplishment. Let me define it more clearly with this fact that some people face many hurdles and difficulties to do some work. But it gives them sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. That is a real happiness. It is a broader concept of happiness totally different from material concept.
Some people feel happiness in doing charity and donations. By doing this, they feel a sense of fulfillment and contentment. In our religion Islam “sakinah” is an Arabic word which means peace and happiness. This word is mentioned many times in the holy Quran. In our religion Islam, Salah, offering prayer five times a day is the ultimate source of Sakinah, happiness.
Let me tell you dear readers that ultimate sense of contentment and fulfillment comes from many sources of good and pious work. If we follow this source of happiness in our lives we will always be contented and fulfilled. Material aspects would give us happiness but that will be temporary. Sense of contentment through good deeds will shower upon us permanent happiness. It would be difficult but there will be sense of fulfillment. That is what matters a lot. There are also some of the tips to true concept of happiness which should be followed strictly. They are as: letting you ego go, don’t have grudges with the people, live simple life but accomplished and fulfilled, be disciplined, respect the feelings of others, don’t mess with the foolish people, have self confidence, avoid over thinking and wrong mindset, at last but not the least is to have fear of God, Almighty Allah, who is seeing not your actions only but also the voice of your heart.
(The author is a freelance writer, poet and can be reached at [email protected])
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