What makes you happy?

The Yes! magazine had an interesting article in its Winter, 2009 issue entitled "Be Happy Anyway". They asked people to submit their answers to the question, "What Makes You Happy?". Here are some of the answers:

Happiness is the pursuit of a worthwhile goal. In many cases the journey is more rewarding than the end.
Lloyd Anderson

I am more grateful for family and friends and the opportunity to create, and less grateful for consumption.
Eileen Hanna

The secret to my happiness is in a constant striving to create peace within myself, and in turn reflect it onto the world.
Anonymous

The secret to my happiness is to be continuously creative. It doesn't matter whether I get paid for it, though having enough to get by, living a simple, frugal lifestyle, is important. But most important is always having a creative task before me, writing and/or performing.
Anonymous

The online article has a bunch more answers and you can read them by clicking here.

What I have found in my personal life as well as in my professional life as a psychotherapist is that what makes people happy is when they are utilizing their talents and abilities by engaging in activities which gives them satisfaction and fulfillment and by pursuing their interests in ways they find rewarding.

As Joseph Campbell, the mythologist said, when you wonder whether to follow the money or your bliss, always follow your bliss. I think he is exactly right.

I ask young people, "If you could have a job that paid $75,000.00 a year you hated or $35,000.00 a year you loved, which job would you choose?" 80% say the $75,000.00 a year job. The older folks who are little wiser say the $35,000.00 a year job but then sadly tell me that financially it just isn't possible for them to do that.

And so it goes...........