A
female
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:Why is everybody I see always so stressed and miserable? You only get one life,and its way too short to be anything but happy.why dont people realize this? Reply to this Question
Share |
Fancy yourself as an agony aunt? Add your answer to this question! A
female
reader, lexilou  +, writes (23 August 2008):
 Its human nature to want more and be miserable with what we have. I always remind myself that no matter what life throws at me and how low I feel there is usually a solution and always someone coping with more problems than me. My friends have just returned from the dominican republic and were amazed at how happy the locals were despite having next to nothing and surving on £23 a month. They tipped the maid around £20 when they left, nothing to them, and she was overwhelmed with gratitude at these wonderful people, it made them feel very humble.
Smile at a stranger at least once a day and keep your happy outlook on life x
A
female
reader, hlskitten +, writes (23 August 2008):
 You will be able to answer that question in a few yrs when you have to pay the mortgage, run a car, feed the kids, get them through school, clothe the kids, keep them safe, bath the kids, juggle work and parenting, learn from inevitable past mistakes, all while worrying how you're going to pay that gas bill that keeps rising by the month.
Oh and tax the car, mot the car, insure the car, oh and that duff battery that needs replacing on the car, do that or pay the phone bill...decisions decisions...
Hehe catch my drift mon cherie?
C xxxxx
...............................
A
male
reader, DoubleM +, writes (23 August 2008):
 Excellent question girl, or maybe more precisely, excellent advice. Keep it through all your years and I think that you will be happy. But in an attempt to answer your question, the structure of societies throughout the world require either extraordinary luck or exceptional effort in order to succeed. Everyone else just gets by, but they may never really be completely happy. Sometimes, extra special talents, as with a professional sports figure, actor or artist, may reap great fortune. I think that some of that success is totally about being in the right place at the right time, but also realizing the opportunity.
Fortune does not necessarily convert to happiness, but money certainly helps. Most of us do not have excess fortune, and money defines everything as far as freedom and comforts are concerned. Result: It is a very competitive society in which the most fortunate: due to ancestors, the more aggressive individuals, the most perceptive toward ideas, or perhaps the hardest working, will possibly be happy. Everyone else pretty much struggles, but in a money-oriented society, we can still be happy with just enough to survive. Well, until the taxes are increased.
...............................
A
female
reader, lotus mama808 +, writes (23 August 2008):
 Welcome to the U.S!! Look at the statistics, we are the only country with the highest rates of divorce, obesity, gas prices, (thanks Bush!) and really, the sad list goes on. With rates like this, people will get a little down. You are still young enough to have the energy to exercise, have little to no real money issues (at least for a year or two, right?) and hopefully no divorce cases on your sholders. We create our own realities, and thats something we forget in America. We are so quick to blame everything around us for the problems we have when the reality is, we are to blame for our own issues. Also, remember that good energy is contagious. So, smile at a stranger, help out someone in need, and dont't expect anything in return. Do it out of concern for the happiness of others. You will see, the same people that were miserable around you will lighten up a bit. Learn from their mistakes, too. When you do figure out why some people are miserable, go out of your way to avoid that same mistake. Enjoy life, youth and family, appreciate the little things, and learn to laugh more often. Everything here is temperary, and really souldnt be taken so seriously;)
...............................
A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (23 August 2008): Sometimes it's not as easy as it seems to be happy. Things don't always work out, and there's nothing wrong with giving in to the feeling of sadness for a while. I agree that life is just meant to be lived and enjoyed to the fullest, but with the true highs eventually come true lows. That's healthy, natural, and all part of the cycle. There's no point stressing about the small things... people do that too often I think. But sadness can be nice at times - it balances everything out and helps the good times feel richer and more meaningful. Experiencing life to its depths through many different emotions often leads to deep, overall happiness. Sometimes people get too caught up in little details that don't go according to plan. I know I didn't completely focus on answering your question... but this is a very complex topic so it's hard to be concise.
...............................
A
female
reader, Manya +, writes (23 August 2008):
Well, one person at least realizes this - you!! Abraham Lincoln said that most people are as happy as they make up their minds to be.
I think, if you look around, you will find there ARE people who aren't always beating themselves on the head and HAVE found
ways to have a happy outlook!!
There are times when life gets you down, and one cannot be always happy, that would be un-natural. But an optimistic attitude is healthy and, you will find, often contagious. So
go out and start spreading joy!
Also, people fill up on too much bad news from the media, and shouldn't watch the news before bedtime.
Sometimes people are so happy that they get un-happy because they can't slow down to realize that, after all, life is showing them a wealth of beautiful things.
...............................
A
male
reader, Danielepew  +, writes (23 August 2008):
 Because living is something we learn by doing, and only too often we don't do things the right way, or we refuse to learn from our numerous mistakes.
...............................
A
female
reader, sappygirl +, writes (23 August 2008):
 Because people get jaded, resentful, and basically wake up one day and regret the decisions they made and hate the lives they lead. They go out and the world and project this misery to strangers and it's like a virus that spread. Also..America is a capitalist country and it's work..work..work. So everyone is tired. It's hard to see any other way
...............................
|
