How Do You Define Happiness?
I ran a contest in "Your Daily Dose of Happiness" to see how people define happiness. I was stunned to discover that I am the only person who defines happiness as an extra helping of cheesecake.
There were other shockers, too.
We know that money can't buy happiness ... except, of course, when we are flat broke. But I figured several people would define happiness, at least in part, as a bulging bank vault or "financial freedom". Just three people cited money in their definitions of happiness.
I also figured many people would cite health as part of their definition of happiness, as in "health, wealth, and happiness". But only four people mentioned health.
No health? No wealth? How do people define happiness?
The top rated mention goes to family. It seems that we might be flat broke and deathly ill, but a loving family will make us happy just the same.
Altruism and kindness are also key. It seems we smile by making others smile. Isn't that nice? No health and no wealth. Just smile.
Faith scores big, too. This works out very well, because we can ask our loving family to pray for a speedy recovery and a big win in El Gordo next month (assuming we recover first).
What does this mean? It means the spammers have it all wrong. They keep sending us useless emails about making money.
A typical spam message says, "Get the insider secrets to making millions on the Internet. I will give you these valuable secrets for peanuts just because I love your smile so much. You could make $5,433 in the next hour if you act now. Hurry. Don't wait. This is the real thing. You can trust me. All the others are just scammers."
Instead, spammers should be sending offers like, "Get the insider secret to building a loving family on the Internet. I will give you these valuable secrets for peanuts (and a big virtual hug) just because I love your smile so much. You could love your kids, spouses, uncles, parents, pets - anybody! - in the next hour if you act now. Hurry. Don't wait. This is the real thing. You can trust me. All the others are just family planners."
Spammers also waste emails on replacing body parts we never had and enhancing body parts we could never have, when what we really want is to know God better.
Here is a typical spammer email: "Hair loss? We just released the miracle cure. Grow your hair back thicker than a wooly mammoth preparing for the next ice age. This is worth a gazillion dollars, but you get it free for just pennies a day. Give me your credit card number before midnight tonight. I can't afford to offer this price for long. Beware phony products that drip funny colors in your face or make hair grow in all the wrong places. This is the real thing!"
Instead, spammers should be saying: "Faithless? Book your luncheon with the Pope, dinner with the Dalai Lama and a one-on-one chat with Moses. Reserve your seat free for just a handful of pennies. Give me your credit card number before midnight tonight. Act now. I can't afford to offer this price for long. Beware phony reservations for meetings with Michael Jackson and other fake gods. This is the real thing!"
By the way, Mother Nature was also a part of many definitions of happiness. So take your family down by the river for a prayer. And if you can lend a helping hand to a chipmunk or a duck, you'll be the perfect definition of happiness.
About The Author
The author is David Leonhardt, The Happy Guy. To receive his column weekly in your inbox, sign up at http://TheHappyGuy.com/positive-thinking-free-ezine.html . For how others define happiness: http://TheHappyGuy.com/define-happiness.html. Visit his home page at http://TheHappyGuy.com.
Latest News
 guardian.co.uk | Twitter hacker says admin password was 'happiness' Los Angeles Times, CA - Happiness. The hack victim, a Twitter staffer who goes by the name Crystal on the social network, used that nine-letter word as the password for her account ... Twitter Hacker Says Admin Password Was 'Happiness' Simple, brute-force dictionary attack was used on Twitter Password guessing attack exposed in Twitter pwn |
Ten Ways To Be Happier Now Forbes, NY - It might seem that happiness is in short supply these days. Still-slumping housing prices, bleak consumer spending, high unemployment and a recession are ... |
 The Sun | Ofsted rates children's happiness The Press Association - The data gives each local authority a score on five different measures - the emotional health of children (happiness), bullying, participation in "positive" ... Inner London teenagers least likely to take drugs Half of all pupils are bully victims Region's children happiest in country, data shows |
Get High on Happiness: Jewishinstlouis.org, MO - By Max Weiman According to the Book of Creation, (an ancient kabbalistic book written by the patriarch, Abraham) every month has a Hebrew letter associated ... |
 Metro | Twitter 'happiness' hack exposed Britney Metro, UK - ... but then discovered she was a staff member called Crystal with access to all profiles and passwords. Her simple password, Happiness, was easy to crack. |
It's Never Too Late: Happiness Now! Examiner.com - OK So sometime in December I was minding my own business and I get this email that I missed because I was very busy minding my own business but actually the ... |
Bihar government jobs bringing happiness but with pain Indian Muslims, CA - By Abdul Wahid Azad, During the last few years some positive changes took place in the Indian province of Bihar which was earlier dubbed as BIMARU state of ... |
It's Nothing but Happiness For Kate and Len PopSugar.com, CA - Kate Beckinsale and Len Wiseman traveled with Lily from London to LA over the weekend and then hit the streets for some grocery shopping yesterday. ... |
Happiness in hockey Morgan Hill Times, CA - At the Sharks Ice in San Jose, a hodgepodge group of men sporting full hockey pads, carrying sticks and wearing face masks emerges from the rink-side locker ... |
Happiness is ... Enid News & Eagle, OK - Ask each one their definition of happiness and you would likely get 6.7 billion different answers. Some people say being rich would make them happy, ... |
Resources
-
Save Your Relationship, Save Your Marriage, Stop Your Divorce, Stop Your Break Ups, Broken Heart Adv
Save Relationship, Broken Heart, Breakup, Breaking up Advice, Save Marriage, Stops Divorce, Bring Back Lost Love
-
Mind Power Studio; the power of affirmations, subliminal messages and subconscious mind for self imp
Discover the power of affirmations, subliminal messages, self improvement,subconscious mind with Mind Power Studio
-
Mind Control Secrets for a Lifetime of Health, Happiness and Success
25 of the World's Great Masters Reveal the Secrets of Creating Wealth and Prosperity with the Power of Your Mind.
-
Eliminate Negative Thinking, Achieve Your Dreams - RightandWrongThinking.info
Take charge of your life and create the success and Happiness you want and deserve! Learn how to eliminate negative thoughts, control your mind and achieve your dreams. Why Learning to Control Negative Thoughts is the Key to Your Achieving Success!
-
Conquering Fear
Discover how to conquer fear.
-
The Motivated Mind - A Complete Guide to Personal Change
Motivation tips and techniques to help you achieve greater Happiness and success.
-
Mind Control Secrets for a Lifetime of Health, Happiness and Success
Step-by-step instructions in this absolute beginner's guide to using mind power for wealth.
-
Your Quantum Leap into the Understanding, Having and Enjoying of Immense Wealth and Happiness
Your Quantum Leap to Understanding, Having and Enjoying Immense Wealth & Happiness.
-
The Master Key System - Charles F. Haanel
The Master Key System by Charles Haanel. A 24-part course on achievement and success. Also, free books by Thomas Troward.
-
Yoga Health Secrets: relaxation, stress-relief, health and inner peace
Yoga Health Secrets is a comprehensive guide to yogic techniques for Happiness and good health.