Happiness

[Palamon]

Explain what you think true happiness is.

[Neo Emolga]

Accomplishing your dreams from the big ones to the small ones. That, and being pleasantly delighted by surprises that you never expected to be so good. Anything from having more fun and a better time than you expected to discovering something new and cool that you become interested in to keep pursuing deeper. Finding new friends, meeting up with old friends, and finding love all lead you to happiness. It all builds toward making those magical memories that you remember for life.

You know you're truly happy when even if something bad happens, you're so happy that it doesn't bother you and you can even laugh it off and make fun of it in a comical way. Take that incident and talk about it like you're in front of a whole audience as a stand up comedian. Be wild, be playful, and never lose that childlike fascination and imagination. Remember complements you receive and laugh off and forget about the insults. Show your opposition you can't be broken.

Lastly, share that happiness with others. Create something and make something special with your skills and talents that makes others laugh and brings them happiness, hopefully for many years to come and even long after you're gone. What we create that makes us and others happy and survives the test of time is what makes us immortal.

[Suicune's Fire]

Happiness, to my knowledge, is what most if not all people search for in life. I sort of disagree with you, Neo, when you say that when you're happy, you can shake bad things off. I don't think that's what it's about. Happiness does not make you invincible, and you're still perfectly susceptible to and allowed to feel sadness. It's good to have a balance of both, as long as sadness doesn't take the wheel indefinitely.

To me, happiness is contentment in yourself. Not necessarily about yourself, but within yourself, if that makes sense in any way. xD For some people, love of a partner is happiness. For others, it's companionship with animals or having a strong bond with your friends and family. It can be accomplishing dreams and goals, and feeling a sense of achievement. Or it can be a warm day with a smoothie watching Netflix. So many things make me happy, whether they're small or significant. For some people, happiness is easy to find, while for others, it's more difficult. Then there are things like mental illnesses which get in the way, or other challenges that prevent happiness (whether it's temporarily or what).

For me, it's important to feel significant happiness every day, otherwise I see little point in life. Spreading happiness is important to me as well, so I try to do that however I can. Mostly, I love seeing people smile. A little compliment can go a long way. Or maybe a drawing for a friend, or a helpful deed for your parent or housemate. Find happiness where you can, but don't be afraid if you aren't happy just yet or struggle to be happy on occasion. I think there's a recipe for happiness which differs for everyone. Finding what brings you peace and joy and being in the right mindset are important.

Don't give up on happiness!

[Noblejanobii]

Being able to breathe and my chest not feel heavy. Being able to do something without fear that someone will hate me for it. Being able to sit down at night and not be on the verge of breaking down into tears. Being able to go through a day without a burden being laid upon my already broken shoulders. Being able to wake up and not immediately dread the day that lays before me. Being able to speak my mind without fear of being silenced. Being able to look someone in the eye and know that the smile I wear is not a facade. Being able to log onto social media and not dread reading the messages that have been sent to me. Being able to sit down at night and nearly breakdown from the stress inside my head. Being able to have confidence in that my friends really are my friends.

Happiness can be anything for a person. It’s what, in your darkest time, you cling to for dear life so you don’t sink further in the dark quagmire that is depression. It’s a survival instinct against your worst enemy, yourself.