The question in my blog title needs some elaboration. When we say “I feel happy” or “I’m happy” then we refer to a short-term and positive feeling. In my view, all feelings are short-term. Happiness is supposed to be a long-term and positive state-of-mind.
Hence my question: can and/or does happiness actually exist??
My question is rather recent. I suppose my thought “arrived” while sitting on a park bench just outside the medieval walls of Panicale. My initial thought was why don’t I have a (long-term) feeling of happiness? Actually, I don’t even “miss” happiness because I’m grateful and satisfied.
In my 2022 blog, Happiness is (not) a choice, I concluded that happiness is the possible and temporary output of an inner process.
In my view, happiness does not exist as input.
With hindsight, I doubt that my earlier blogs on this topic (eg, my 2021 graph) were correct and/or complete.
Are we able to transform from a short-term feeling (ie, happy) to a long-term (rational) state-of-mind (ie, happiness)??
Actually, it might (indeed) be possible as gratitude and satisfaction might (also) be examples of such a transformation. I did not expect this food-for-thought.
During a subsequent power nap, the following diagram appeared in my mind:
Actually, I feel happy about my latest diagram !
Happy (2013) by Pharrell Williams
artist, lyrics, video, Wiki-artist, Wiki-song
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless in quotes or stated otherwise.
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