Do You Believe That Happiness Is A Choice?

[longhardlife]

I think what your picture has on it answers the happiness question all in itself.

[larafan25]

Yeah. I believe happiness is up to you. It comes from within. Detaching yourself from the outcome of what you want, or what it means to have it. It's a certain kind of freedom, to depend on nothing.

bonjour baaaych

I fully agree with Abe and the understanding of the younger the person the more scornful they are. The younger crowd tend to think they know happiness. While others get stuck with being content it is only with wisdom or life experience that you realize most of the time true happiness has to be hunted. It's most likely not going to come knocking on your door. Life is what you make of it. I think the pick MikeW has says it all.

...said longhardlife.

[Jay]

I've had ups and down in life.

2013 was a great year for me.

2014 however, was my downfall. It was an emotionally challenging year in terms of:

• Career - I lost two jobs in a year. I lost my 5-year job as a designer in an international real estate as the company went down. I lost my second job because the boss was a psycho. He had the nerve to change my contract and reduce my monthly salary even after I brought his advertising agency with $24million project. He didn't pay my last salary.
  
• Friendship - I lost my best friend to a pretentious friend - bloodsucking a-hole.
  
• Family - My dad had to go through surgery due to tumor.
  
• Finance - I used a lot of money for my own surgeries. Plus my salaries were not paid by my boss in ad agency.

I really lost it at the middle of 2014. I thought that was the end of me but for whatever reason, I refused to surrender. I fought back. Gradually regained my confidence and others.

i bounced back at the end of 2014. I currently work as a designer in a semi gov council. I receive greater salary with great benefits. I'm well respected by my CEO and colleagues. I'm patching up with my best friend and that bloodsucker lost it. My dad is recovering well.

So yes, I believe happiness depends on you. Sometimes you have to work harder to earn happiness than others.

[Thundanton]

"Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

mmm, very interesting quote, I can relate to that, I mean I spent a lot of my life building walls and hiding from everyone including myself and eventually I could neither feel "real" happiness or sadness, or any other strong emotion for that matter. Yes going out with friends was fun, but was I happy? no I wouldn't say so. I also agree that "true" happiness thrives of off contentment and gratitude.

most youngsters were probably less likely to agree because they don't even think about what they want in life or why they even want it, they just go with the flow, you can't go with the flow if your looking for happiness, you have to fight for it.

[Pacific]

Also depends on whether mental illness (chemical imbalance) is present; but that aside, yes, I believe we do have a degree of control over our happiness which is probably largely dependent on our perceptions, which we can work to change.

[JackTX]

I generally agree with that. Some people do get too much shit luck, though.