Wise Class

Today we read the introduction to an article entitled "Happiness Revisited." It's an interesting take on the universal ideas that happiness encompasses. People from all over the world and from a wide span of ages, no matter the wealth find being content involves mastery and participation. I would agree with this statement. In addition, I enjoy the quote "Happiness, in fact, is a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated, and defended privately by each person. People who learn to control inner experience will be able to determine the quality of their lives, which is as close as any of us can come to bring happy." It speaks to me in the way of taking initiative and responsibility for one's own self. The part I'm not super content with is how it talks about getting close to happiness. I believe it's not as difficult as this article suggests to be happy. Maybe it's me being idealistic but I hope for blissfulness to come often.

There is a flow chart that I will attach down below that goes along with the article. I'll draw a star where I think I belong on the chart. I think this place displays that I try to challenge myself and I hope to have a lot of skills in life but also face anxiety a bit. This is why I put myself higher in the box and on the edge of anxiety. 

The article also discussed flow- the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it. This seems kind of hard to do, because I find it hard to focus on one thing only. There's usually something that gnaws at the back of my mind or that brings my focus away from whatever is bringing me happiness. I hope to achieve flow by acknowledging these things but also being able to put them away.

Lastly, I feel most happy when I'm surrounded by people I like. This sounds weird, so I'll rephrase it. I enjoy being around good feelings and being able to take in the experience. It's less of a where I am or what exactly I'm doing and more the state of mind I'm in. Of course, the situation should be either neutral or positive and should be engaging. However, even though the place doesn't really matter to me, I wouldn't mind it to be out on the lake during a sunny summer day, or sitting with a blanket watching netflix and hearing rain pour against the roof outside.