和大家分享很久前看过的英语小散文--Happiness is an attitude
在学校期间有时候会对未来感到迷茫，本科期间看到一本书《Happiness is an attitude》，但是为了联系口语，特意买了回来，没事就听听（2005年上本科，原谅我那个时代mp3都是奢侈品）
今天重新买的电脑，偶然间发现了当时的电子版，现在分享给大家，也祝愿大家幸福常相伴。
Happiness is an attitude, not a condition.
Maybe you wouldn’t say yesterday was a happy day, because you had a misunderstanding with your friend. But weren’t there moments of happiness, moments of clear peace? Now that you think about it, wasn’t there a letter from an old friend, or a stranger who asked where you got such a great haircut? You remember having a bad day, yet those good moments occurred.
Happiness is like a visit, you can’t command her appearance; you can only appreciate her when she does show up . And you can’t force happiness to happen –but you can make sure you are aware of it when it does.
Happiness is an attitude, not a condition. It’s cleaning the Venetian blinds while listening to a music, or spending a pleasant hour organizing your dormitory. It’s in the present, not in the distant promise of a “someday when…”How much luckier we are --and how much more happiness we experience--if we can fall in love with the life we’re living.
Happiness is an attitude, not a condition. It’s cleaning the venetian blinds while listening to an aria, or spending a pleasant hour organizing your closet. Happiness is your family assembled at dinner. It’s in the present, not in the distant promise of a “someday when…”How much luckier we are, and how much more happiness we experience, if we can fall in love with the life we’re living.
Happiness is a choice. Reach out for it at the moment it appears.
Happiness is something everyone wants to have. You may be successful and have a lot of money, but without Happiness it will be meaningless.
That’s why I’m excited with this month’s theme of Happiness. We will discuss this topic all month long and I’m sure we will learn a lot. But, before we move further, it’s a good idea to get deeper understanding of the word happiness itself. Understanding what Happiness is will give us good ground upon which to build our discussions.
Let me start with an official definition. According to Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, here is the definition of Happiness: a state of well-being and contentment， a pleasurable or satisfying experience
This definition is a good starting point and we can dig deeper from it. The best way to do that is to consult some of the greatest minds in history. So I researched what these people say about Happiness and found 10 essential definitions. Each of them has deep meaning. Take your time to absorb it.
Here they are:
1. Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. Mahatma Gandhi
2. Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one’s values. Any Rand
3. Happiness is something that you are and it comes from the way you think. Wayne Dyer
4. Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one-directionally, without regret or reservation.
William H. Sheldon
5. Happiness is not a reward - it is a consequence. Robert Ingersoll
6. Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness has something to do with struggling and enduring and accomplishing. George Sheehan
7. Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence. Aristotle
8. Happiness is not something you experience, it’s something you remember. Oscar Levant
9. Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling. Margaret Lee Runbeck
10. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude. Denis Waitley
All in all, I would say that happiness is a decision. Your Happiness is your decision to make. All the quotes above require actions on our part and actions require decisions.
So what do you think?
What is Happiness?
今天重新买的电脑，偶然间发现了当时的电子版，现在分享给大家，也祝愿大家幸福常相伴。
Happiness is an attitude, not a condition.
Maybe you wouldn’t say yesterday was a happy day, because you had a misunderstanding with your friend. But weren’t there moments of happiness, moments of clear peace? Now that you think about it, wasn’t there a letter from an old friend, or a stranger who asked where you got such a great haircut? You remember having a bad day, yet those good moments occurred.
Happiness is like a visit, you can’t command her appearance; you can only appreciate her when she does show up . And you can’t force happiness to happen –but you can make sure you are aware of it when it does.
Happiness is an attitude, not a condition. It’s cleaning the Venetian blinds while listening to a music, or spending a pleasant hour organizing your dormitory. It’s in the present, not in the distant promise of a “someday when…”How much luckier we are --and how much more happiness we experience--if we can fall in love with the life we’re living.
Happiness is an attitude, not a condition. It’s cleaning the venetian blinds while listening to an aria, or spending a pleasant hour organizing your closet. Happiness is your family assembled at dinner. It’s in the present, not in the distant promise of a “someday when…”How much luckier we are, and how much more happiness we experience, if we can fall in love with the life we’re living.
Happiness is a choice. Reach out for it at the moment it appears.
Happiness is something everyone wants to have. You may be successful and have a lot of money, but without Happiness it will be meaningless.
That’s why I’m excited with this month’s theme of Happiness. We will discuss this topic all month long and I’m sure we will learn a lot. But, before we move further, it’s a good idea to get deeper understanding of the word happiness itself. Understanding what Happiness is will give us good ground upon which to build our discussions.
Let me start with an official definition. According to Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, here is the definition of Happiness: a state of well-being and contentment， a pleasurable or satisfying experience
This definition is a good starting point and we can dig deeper from it. The best way to do that is to consult some of the greatest minds in history. So I researched what these people say about Happiness and found 10 essential definitions. Each of them has deep meaning. Take your time to absorb it.
Here they are:
1. Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. Mahatma Gandhi
2. Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one’s values. Any Rand
3. Happiness is something that you are and it comes from the way you think. Wayne Dyer
4. Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one-directionally, without regret or reservation.
William H. Sheldon
5. Happiness is not a reward - it is a consequence. Robert Ingersoll
6. Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness has something to do with struggling and enduring and accomplishing. George Sheehan
7. Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence. Aristotle
8. Happiness is not something you experience, it’s something you remember. Oscar Levant
9. Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling. Margaret Lee Runbeck
10. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude. Denis Waitley
All in all, I would say that happiness is a decision. Your Happiness is your decision to make. All the quotes above require actions on our part and actions require decisions.
So what do you think?
What is Happiness?
