[post] What We’re Reading: What makes you happy?

Hi everybody,

As I enjoy the last dregs of summer in Chicago, I bask in the nearly-perfect pre-winter weather, the joy in returning my kids to school, and the mouth-watering vegetables that are finally ready to pluck from the garden. To me, being in this space is a manifestation of happiness.

Then I read

’s piece that offers a distinct way to consider happiness: wanting what you already have instead of wishing for something else. It made me think about how the decision to alter your attitude could possibly shift the energy you bring to any event, or to yourself.

“We can all be happy now if we learn to want what we have rather than trying to have what we want,” writes Black in the Better Humans publication.

This is probably true for lots of situations and not true for others.

Paolo Pontoniere similarly takes a practical approach, describing “striving for nirvana” as a paradox unto itself. And, the publication Wise & Well tackled the definition of happiness in this way: “The very ingredients of happiness — or what scientists like to call life satisfaction or subjective well-being — actually change over time.” It seems that folks in the 1930s defined happiness as having “security, knowledge and religion.” Today? Who knows.

What’s clear here is that happiness is different for everyone. I’m curious what you think about such joy or how to quantify and define it. What is happiness to you? What makes you happy? If you write on this topic, please let me know by tagging me in the story or responding to this post! (And yes, I really do read your stories.)