The Meaning of Happiness
Stella Hudson posed an intriguing question in The Bahai Chairs’ recent Book Discussion: Infrastructure, Well-being, and the Measurement of Happiness. She inquired what the true meaning of happiness is and asked what it meant in the context of the edited volume.
The meaning of happiness is something that has been a long-standing battle within myself, especially as I prepare for the following stages of life after graduation. The question I continue to ask myself is What do you really care about? What truly makes you happy? The answer does not come as easily as I would hope. As Dr. Kate Seaman mentioned during the discussion, there are many factors that support happiness, such as mental health, physical health, a sense of well-being, and belonging within the community.
In modern Western culture, we often believe money is the path to happiness. There is an idea that there is a magical amount of money that, when reached, will evaporate any hardships and provide happiness. Until this moment, happiness will only be felt in fleeting moments, unable to be measured long-term.
However, Dr. Mahmoudi mentioned something in the book discussion that has stuck with me ever since. She said, “happiness is not just about money or feeding your appetite but has a deeper meaning, such as ethical aspects of human life and how we treat each other.” I took some time to reflect on this idea. Reading it back, it doesn’t seem like this idea of happiness should feel like a foreign concept. However, in the individualistic society where many of us were raised, the perception of happiness was painted as a selfish journey.
Perhaps happiness is the opposite of selfishness. Maybe happiness really is the way in which we treat the people and the world around us. I think back to the things that really gave me a lasting feeling of peace. It wasn’t receiving my biweekly paycheck or spending time on my phone and on social media. It was the time I traveled and had the time to appreciate the nature around me. It was the time I had established a true connection with another person. Finally, it was the time when I spent my day volunteering and feeling like I was making the world around me a better place.
Happiness is generally measured in short-term spaces. These short-term spaces add up and affect your long-term performance. It is important for us to fill our time with things that will give our souls a long-term feeling of joy and peace. It is not the quick dopamine release and the feeling of immediate gratification. It is seeing how the tree you planted and watered over time grows into a big strong tree. It is learning about new cultures and always challenging yourself to continue to learn. The moment we begin to feed our soul instead o our ego is when we discover happiness's true meaning.
About the Author
Meredith is a senior at the University of Maryland majoring in Marketing and Management. After college, she hopes to travel the world and learn more about different countries and cultures. Meredith wants to combine her interest in business with her passion for helping others.