Misconceptions That Drive to Happiness

Misconceptions that Drive to Happiness

In 2013, Sonja Lyubomirsky, in “How Happy Are You and Why,” (314) argues that happiness can be found in “how you behave, what you think, and what goals you set every day of your life” (196). She uses scientific research to give examples and reactions on how to increase your own happiness. People think that happiness can be found, is affected by our circumstances, or you have happiness or you do not. Sonja Lyubomirsky shows the audience that happiness could be affected by these myths, but we are in control of our own happiness.

To define what happiness is, has been a very controversial topic because everyone has his or her own perception of what happiness is. Happiness is something everyone wants to have, but who and what defines what happiness is? Happiness is a mental state of contentment that each person is in control of for himself or herself. Everyone has their own perception of happiness, but the only path that leads to true happiness lies within a person rather than what they can hold or brag about.

According to Sonja, the first myth is “happiness is something that we must find” (185). People stop searching for happiness in everyone else, and look in the mirror and ask yourself what makes you happy? No one in this world can make you happy but yourself. Happiness is within oneself and as a person; we have to work on ourselves every day to improve. We have to set goals for ourselves and achieve them. Motivation will bring us enjoyment and fulfillment in ourselves because we will be proud that we were able to achieve something we set our mind to.

We always hear that one person say, “I would be happy IF” or “I will be happy When” (185), stop! If you are not happy with what you have, you will not be happy will all the money in the world or all the materialistic things in the world. Essentially this will cause you more problems, and more wants. For example, if you encounter a lump sum of money, some of you would say that would make me happy, and spend it that same day. Now you are in the same predicament you were in before. Are you still happy with all that money you do not have now? Yes, you would have been happy for that moment but the next day the next week you will feel the exact same way you did before that lump sum landed in your hand.

Sonja’s last myth she talks about is “you either have it or you don’t” (186). People believe that we are automatically born happy. There is scientific research that states a person can overcome any genetic programing. For example, if a person is depressed they can go see a therapist, change their environment, and do the home remedies people recommend (pray, eat healthier, exercise, take a walk etc.). We should not be satisfied by being stuck in a rut thinking they we could never be happy. We have to motivate ourselves to overcome this pitifulness, and do