Do most "normal" people usually feel happy when they are not troubled or are at peace?
This must seem like an odd question to most of you, so allow me to explain: A lot of people (in real life or here on the internet, especially here) always seem to either be happy or mention that they are happy as if it is a lasting feeling. It confuses me because I usually never feel happiness that lasts more than 10 seconds. I usually feel empty and devoid of all emotion when I am at peace and/or not troubled. So, what I really should be asking is, what is "normal"? I usually only feel depressed at night for some reason and, apart from that, am not usually troubled emotionally. I do not feel any other symptoms of depression like fatigue, by the way. Does this mean that I (probably/most likely) suffer from a mild form of depression or am I just like everyone else? I am only asking this because I am tired of not knowing the truth. I want to know if most people suffer as much as I do or if I am the one who is missing out because of some kind of chemical imbalance.
Differentiate between peace and happiness?
Seems to me that everyone has had a happy moment or two and most would agree that it was due to the outcome or end result of some situation that we were concerned about. Reasonably then , we can assume that happiness can be sought or contested. The deep thinkers and witch doctors who concern themselves with happiness believe that considering multiple possibilities or outcomes for any one situation and focusing on the desirable ones influences the final outcome of any quandary or problem. They call this possibility thinking - positive thinking. Pursuing this theory with monastic dedication results in more and more positive results and soon the entire aura of life around you becomes brighter and more satisfying and the realization sets in that life is good , I am happy! Entwined with this "possibility thinking" is the mental status known as peace. I believe peace to be a product of righteousness and justice.The application of possibility thinking to your life with a keen, philosophical judgment of honest , moral, charitable, loving results for yourself and others generates a buffer zone around your life immune from contention and criticism that brings the feeling of being hunted and pursued to a close. You become inconvenient company for people who rationalize moral decisions or criminal activity and a protective gulf opens between you and the dark side of human existence thereby eliminating sources of negative thinking and circuitiosly enhancing the power of possibility thinking and its influence on happiness. Peace out!
Goodwill toward men: can you wish an enemy happiness?
I don't have many people I count as enemies, darling...but of those people who have injured me in some way or another that I felt did not do so accidentally, there are only two I can't wish happiness - one, because she continues to injure the offspring (albeit in a different way than she injured me), and the other because I can't quite get past the idea that she damaged my life out of nothing but spite. (((Sara)))