Happiness For Dummies
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Overall happiness results from striking a balance in all aspects of your life. Happiness occurs in moments, not in hours, days, weeks, months, or years. The trick is to enjoy the moment, to relish the experience, and to be mindful that it'll be gone before you know it.

Learn how to create and have more of these moments of happiness by balancing these factors:

  • Hassles and uplifts: The small pleasures of life offset the inevitable stresses, conflicts, and irritants that come your way.

  • Structure and freedom: Structure (rules, rituals, purpose) gives life meaning; freedom makes life enjoyable.

  • Work and play: You probably know how to work, but do you know how to play? And do you play enough? If you're all work and no play, you'll have trouble finding happiness.

  • Socialization and solitude: Having a confidant can literally save your life. People who have meaningful social ties to the world around them enjoy better health and a longer life. Solitude is about being alone without being lonely — it's your opportunity to get to know yourself.

  • Selfishness and generosity: Happy people don't think only about themselves — their wants and needs — they receive joy from serving others. But they don't ignore themselves either. After all, if you don't take care of yourself, who will?

  • Competition and cooperation: Whether at work, in marriage, or at home, there's a time to compete (trying to have it your way) and a time to cooperate (going along with what others want). Sometimes you have to choose between winning and being happy.

  • The me and the we in intimate relationships: Couples need to maintain their individuality while at the same time being partners.

  • Needs and wants: Needs are the basics you need to sustain human life (water, food, shelter); wants are everything else. Happy people know how to negotiate their wants.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

W. Doyle Gentry, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, a distinguished Fellow in the American Psychological Association, and the Founding Editor of the Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

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