**POTW!!! The Key to happiness???

[pcarsey]

What do you think is the key to happiness?

[jenkaye21]

my faith in God

[treazzure007]

so many of the things listed were of equal importance to me but i had to choose a nice income.  i couldn't be happy without money.  life being broke and gaining little is not living.  being able to pay bills, go out when i want, take a vacation...it just makes life all the more comfortable and meaningful.  money is how i enjoy life, take care of my families needs, wants, and health.  i wouldn't ever be happy if doing this was impossible or too grueling.  a nice income is vital!  

[vsentz]

Happiness is A FRIGGIN' 76 degree weather ALL YEAR AROUND dammit!!!!!!!

No, but seriously... there is a lot of things that make me happy.... the biggest one is my daughter and everything she does, but it also makes me happy when my parents come up to visit, it makes me happy to be hugged by surprise by my husband... it makes me happy to eat a greasy meal at red lobster and don't care! It makes me happy when someone gets pregnant after trying very hard...  it makes me happy to go back home (Mexico) and see MY house, see my dearest friends and family... and EAT MEXICAN SHHHTUFFF!!!! YUM!!! .... it makes me happy to see the daffidels (sp?) popping out from the ground... when there's still some snow on it, it makes me hopeful...., it makes me happy seeing dh's dad acting goofy with Madisson... it makes me happy his partner Sharon, which is not dh's mom (she passed away unfortunately) feel like she's a grandma (never could have kids) and I love to see her giving loving kisses to her grandchild. =)

There are a lot of things that make me happy.... some people might need Zoloft to see them, some people can see those 'little' things in life by themselves... and, personally I thank my dad for being that special person that is HAPPY with whatever life throws at him... and can smile and laugh about the SILLIEST things in life... there is NO ONE in this world that makes me pee my pants laughing like my dear father....

I love you papito!!!! =)

There are just too many things to even make a list here that make me absolutely happy!!!

[Trialanderror]

My son is my happiness and my career is my happiness - but the KEY to happiness is something else for me. To rest in oneself. My son, my career, my possessions will move on one day. There will always be a time when there is just nothing in my life except myself, and that is just fine. As long as there is air to breathe and a few birds announcing spring I am happy. Really. Excitedly happy? Depends on the brain chemistry RR mentioned.

[pcarsey]

Sammy- I am very sorry, you know, I didn't realize I had done that. It was supposed to be a loving woman and not a "rich man". I am VERY SORRY! from now on I will be absolute sure to correctly word things!

Sorry for accidentally leaving men out. I didn't mean to!

[sammy73]

Where are the options for a loving woman?  Or, for that matter, a rich woman???  There are guys on this forum too!!  And, I'd guess, the occasional lesbian.

[iam1butterfly]

I say, discovering who you are... but, this question makes me think of something that the English writer, John Milton (1608-1674), said: "... the world is its own place, and in it, you can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven."

[teko]

I answered none of the above, because I feel that happiness comes from loving oneself and having the outlook to see the glass half full instead of half empty. Being able to look at life as an adventure and sucking up as much as you can and being able to put bad things in perspective instead of choosing to get stuck there. All the above are blessings on top of all that. IMO of course. :)

[Shara21]

hahaha RockRose....

Such a brutally honest answer... so true though.....love it =)

[RockRose]

None of the above.  

The key to happiness is brain chemistry.  

Some people are happy virtually no matter what life situation they are in,  some people are unhappy with virtually any life situation.

Happiness is biochemical.  ;D

[pbbsmommy]

I picked a family for happeness cause I love my family and I would die for them. I could live without t.v., nice cars, and be rich cause those things are not important to me and besides if I was rich I would be miserable cause money doesn't make me happy.

Sincerly,
Kendra

[AHP84]

Well, I answered none of the above, because to me, all of the above are blessings that bring happiness, but they are not the key. None of the above is capable of lasting; it all has the potential to fall apart or fade away.
Personally, for my life, nothing can make me happy unless I know it is guaranteed to last. I want to know that I can put my faith, love, time, and trust into something that will never fade away or fall apart during my lifetime. For me personally, I only find that peace and trust with God. I trust Him with my life. I give everything to Him that I know how, because I want Him to guide my life for me rather than me trying to find my own happiness and fail. I might be able to find temporary happiness, but nothing in this world lasts or ultimately has any value.
Take for instance the news I just got about my mom last week. She was diagnosed with cancer for the second time in her life. I love my mom to death--I mean, truly, I would go to the ends of the earth for her or die for her (as I would for my son and the rest of my family too). She raised me as a single parent from the time I was two, so we have a very, very close bond. Now the reality is that I could lose her. That is reality. I always thought that my mom would live a long, healthy life, and be there to see my wedding, more grandchildren born, to see my younger sister graduate high school and then college, and just live until she was like, 90-something and die peacefully. That may never happen. Her life could end within the next few years from cancer. Heck, she may even die next week from something totally unrelated. But she may live to 90-something after all. You just never know. You can't put your faith in this physical life to play out exactly the way you want it, because it's like a candle flame on a breezey day.
But I have hope and faith in living beyond this phyiscal life through the salvation of Christ. I believe that if we live life with that salvation, we will live together for eternity with our Creator. That hope makes me happy, knowing that goodbye in this life is just a temporary separation.
Anyway, careers and income are not a guarantee either (especially in this economy). Material possessions can break or be stolen or lost. A loving man is just a man, human like everyone else, and can fail you in whatever way. And a rich man...well, such a man only has money. Big deal. What if he loses it all, or leaves you high and dry?
In my personal life, what works for me and keeps me happy (as in content and at peace with life, not giddy and grins, because life does s*ck sometimes) is allowing God to lead my life. I pray and fellowship with God as often as I can each day (which isn't as often as I'd like, really) and put my faith and trust in Him to provide for me everything I need. He has never failed me, and I believe He never will. My son and I are healthy, we have a home and a happy family, we can have three meals each day, and friends that are just as close as family and love us just as much. I depend on God to lead my life, because I don't want to fail and mess up my life any more than I already have when I was living without a daily relationship with Him.
God's love and promises are my personal key to happiness.

[kennedydp5]

i agree that my family is the key to my happiness as well...  having a loving and caring dh, wonderful children, close relationships w/ both mine and dh's parents, and everyone else in between!  :)  family is everything to us.

[mami1323]

I don't think just one of those is the answer.  It could be what you make of your life.  You could never have any of those things and still be extremely happy.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I would love to have money but even the rich can be miserable sometimes.  So again, I think it's what you make of your life and to be happy with what you have.  

[babyprayers]

ok well first what is POTW.. my key to happiness is my family, I love my family with my whole heart and soul, I often think what could I live without, I could live without my tv, my cars, even my house, it wouldnt be easy or not even pleasant, but if something happened to my children I would die. I couldnt live without them, often when I see a shooting star or get an email to say this prayer and make a wish, I always have the exact same wish,. health and happiness for my family, now dont get me wrong, I would love to hit the lottery, have a bigger and nicer house and car, but all of that would be nothing without my girls and my DH.