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Just curious about everyone’s happiness level. The question above focuses on happiness, on average, over the last six months. If you’re like me, there are episodic things that make you unusually unhappy and happy for maybe a day or two over a typical six-month period, so I figured looking at your happiness level, on average, or a six-month period is better. I would like to follow this up with discussion, rather than sharing why I asked this question now — so as not to influence the results.
Looking forward to your responses if you wish to participate.
Today specifically, and in the past two-three days I have found myself genuinely happy or at least excited and hopeful for the future. I think part of this sudden shift in my mood is because I’ve been taking sleeping pills and have woken up early but refreshed unlike before when I’d wake up at an average time in the morning but feel groggy. I haven’t desired to sleep today or yesterday, which is also abnormal. in the past six months I’d day I’m above neutral happy but not fully happy. a lot of personal things have happened, some bad, some neutral and some good. I am hopeful for less stress in the future. I’m making both temporal and spiritual changes in my life, from transitioning into a minimalistic life to trying to understand who God is personally. Overall I think life is good and going to get better.
I said “Extremely Happy,” although I think that’s kind of a stretch. I’d say I’m really “Mostly Happy.” But the next category was “Somewhat Happy,” and that felt too low. I generally happy with life right now. Of course, there are those ups and downs caused by the typical curve balls that life throws at you. But, generally I’m happy with how things are going. Work is good, kids are doing well in school, marriage is…adequate, my relationship with church stuff is comfortable and on my own terms. I really don’t have any major complaints about how things are going emotionally, socially, spiritually, financially, physically, or professionally.
I’m interested to hear the follow up, to see where this question is coming from.
:thumbup: I too marked “Extremely happy”… but there are plenty of levels of between “extreme” and “somewhat” on both ends of the spectrum. I’d also not use the word “extreme” or “somewhat”, because of their connotations. If someone said they were “extremely happy”, I’d expect something extraordinary to be going on. If they were “extremely happy” the majority of the time, I’d think there was something wrong with them. “Extremely happy” is the happiest you can possibly be. On the other hand, if someone told me they were “somewhat happy”, I’d think they’re depressed, but didn’t want to come out and say it. “I’m trying to be optimistic, but am having a hard time”. That’s what I’d hear. I would consider myself on the top end of the happiness bell curve. I am gainfully employed and have a supportive family. I tend to be positive in my nature and tend to justify my failures rather than internalize them with self-blame. I marked “Somewhat Happy” because even with these positives, I am not able to label myself as extremely happy over a 6 month period.
I marked “somewhat happy” based on the past six months or so. I could even have gone all the way down to the least happy choice. That has been because I have had extreme bouts of fear and anxiety as I actively began to deconstruct my belief structure. However, if you go back two weeks only, I would say “extremely happy” as I had a watershed discussion with my bishop about two weeks ago that wiped away about 80% of my fear and anxiety. It was extraordinary. I put “Somewhat Happy” because that was probably the best option. I was hoping for the “Mostly Happy – But Wait This Part of my Life Stinks” button, but I couldn’t find it. Here’s the thing – I am happier than I remember being in a lot of ways because things are looking up. BUT, the downs in life sneak up and gut punch me more often.
My mom described it best in a sense because she has seen me “settle more comfortably into my skin” more recently.
Church-wise, pretty stable. I feel that am in a sweet spot with my church engagement. I teach R.S. lessons and help out with Achievement Days unofficially. I help my husband with his program paperwork when he is overwhelmed. I make sure the girls get to church more often then not. I try to be a good friend to the church members I see and build friendships (even though it seems recently others are helping me more than I am helping them).
I am reading “Sister Saints” and I have “Wrestling with the Angel” now. I guess spiritually I am keeping an ear and eye out for divinity in the universe, and getting on with life. I might be deluding myself, but I approach it this way – examining and building faith is a process that I seem to have stumbled into. I can hold on to my anger, bitterness, and resentment through this process, or I can calm myself so that I get through the process sooner and with less angst. There are hours and days when I feel the anger, bitterness, and resentment – but it doesn’t have to be permanent or pervasive in my life.
I consider myself “reasonably” happy. My wife is going through some health issues. It has been long term & doesn’t look like it will be improving. We have our ups & downs. In the past few weeks, it’s been down. I wish I could describe it more
fully. But, I can’t & won’t.
Not the unhappiest I’ve been by a long shot, but I have many worries in life, and I have been waiting for a medical test for six months. I’m on a waiting list. Maybe by the end of the year, but that frustrates me. Also I’m more of a summer fan tbh.
In church terms? I think the ward treats me well. I have a calling I enjoy. A friend is divorcing – that’s tough – and I miss seeing him there, but I feel my most dependable & kindest friends are in the church.
My life is a bit of a failure. Not rock bottom, but hard to know what I can do to improve it, because I feel part of that depends on the goodwill and understanding of others e.g. employers etc. I have a female friend I text occasionally and it’s never come to anything.
I’ve been quite happy for the last while. Things have been hectic which adds some stress, but more often than not, I am enjoying life and feel lucky to be alive. Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
I picked extremely happy, although after I created the poll I wished I’d used a seven point scale rather than a five point scale. I am slightly below extremely happy, but somewhat happy was also too low for me. Although it was emotionally traumatic to redefine my relationship with the church, after I grew comfortable with it, I have found my overall happiness level is much higher than it used to be.
They say happiness is relative to your perception of where you are in relation to others. So when I’m traveling in Europe, I’m happy. When I’m doing something I don’t want to do, I try to think of the reasons it’s not so bad and others are doing worse things they don’t want to do. I try to focus on the choice and control I have in my life that so many don’t have. I’m glad no one is in the last category, although I have been there. hawkgrrrl wrote:
They say happiness is relative to your perception of where you are in relation to others. So when I’m traveling in Europe, I’m happy. When I’m doing something I don’t want to do, I try to think of the reasons it’s not so bad and others are doing worse things they don’t want to do. I try to focus on the choice and control I have in my life that so many don’t have.
What I want is that lasting contentment. Happiness in the usual sense is fleeting.
I have definitely been in the extremely unhappy column at different points in my life. But research in the Big Five model of personality says that you get more emotionally stable with age. I think that is part of the reason I’m so happy… It waxes and wanes. Depends upon the day. Some days I’m fairly content. Others are hard. Right now I have three family members who have been in and out of the hospital in one week (all for different issues). One is my father who is quite elderly and MAY be in final decline. That’s been a little tough. Maybe “stressed” is a better word than unhappy.
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