[Closed] Are you happy ?

Curently no.

I'm waiting for my KTM to be finished and dropped back off.... once it is.... i'm happy.

How to be happy by Men's Health - number 1 stop buying Men's Health....

I did not buy it. That has increased my happiness.

Happiness is not normal. We'd still be living in trees if it was.

yes. i have 12 days off work after today!!

If you're insecure enough to buy Mens Health, then you're unlikely to ever be happy. With all that [s]closet homosexuality[/s] competitive grooming, and wotnot....

I am happy as larry though. Being thick really helps on that score 😀

Closet..What closet ? 😀

The article is by the Undercover Economist Tim Harford, who is a good egg.

There is some interesting stuff (and it is short) especially (as I am)looking to buy a new house.

As for MH magazine.. I have bought a few times at airports, It led me to run a 10K first in years, and showed me an exercise that helped loads with my dodgy hip. I do not groom competitively ( or much at all)

Generally, folk who wish to make you feel bad because you've bought a certain magazine are unlikely to be as happy as they'd have you believe.

Ironically, there is a correlation between unhappiness and buying Men's/Women's magazines.

They are designed to feed insecurity and then offer the false solution of buying crap to try and make people feel better.

5thElefant - Member
Happiness is not normal. We'd still be living in trees if it was.

In that case

married people have a lot more sex

Well at least I got a laugh out of that.

I think he meant they get ****ed more often

correlation

Yep.

Generally, folk who wish to make you feel bad because you've bought a certain magazine are unlikely to be as happy as they'd have you believe.

Actually it's the magazine that is designed to make you feel bad. Negative emotions are strong motivators and the aim of the magazine is to please the advertisers. The basic plan is, fill the magazine with images of unrealistic perfection, feed insecurity and hope readers buy advertiser's stuff in an attempt to feel less insecure.

Obviously everyone is affected to a different extend, but that's what they're designed to do.

It's not about the mag.

or at least least it was not to start with,

The question still stands.

Had to take a day off work to look after the kids - both of whom have got the trots.

In a strange way, it is nice to be nursing them a bit as they usually just want Mummy when they feel poorly, but it's going to be a long day.......

My family is housed, fed and loved. I don't have much to complain about. My job gives me some satisfaction. Riding bikes keeps me sane. I feel lucky. Does that count?

It's not about the mag.

Yes, but in this case the ironing is too great to not comment on!

and yes, perfectly happy thanks!

I say, what an interesting link. 😉

married people have a lot more sex

HAHAHahahahaHHAhaha...... <sigh> 😐

whatever you think about the magazine that is an interesting article

I do enjoy a bit of pop economics

I am a ( sometimes annoyingly ) happy person 🙂

I think Kirsty Young got close ,when she said

“I don’t want my children to be 'happy’,they will be bloody lucky if they glimpse it now and again, I want them to be content and have self-worth.”

IMO ,you only get true happiness when you can appreciate the other end of the scale,and have been through the mill a bit.
Getting the ratio right , will always be the tricky bit.

boxfish - Member
My family is housed, fed and loved. I don't have much to complain about. My job gives me some satisfaction. Riding bikes keeps me sane. I feel lucky. Does that count?

Yes

cinnamon_girl - Member
I say, what an interesting link.

Yes

FWIW, I am marginally happier after starting the thread 😀

[img] [/img]

IMO ,you only get true happiness when you can appreciate the other end of the scale,and have been through the mill a bit.

I'm with you on that one Fasthaggis. Everything's relative innit? 😀

I'm not religious but theres a buddhist saying I like a lot:

'life is pain and suffering'

the meaning behind it is something like life is indeed full of pain and suffering, recognising and accepting this fact will make you recognise the happiness in-between, which in turn makes you appreciate it. The full buddhist bit is more complex but this is how I interpret it for myself. 🙂

I'm obviously not reading what everyone else is. 😳

😉

I'm not a man therefore I must be happy?

I’ve recently gone through a slightly anxious stage as I transition into my 40‘s - evaluating my life thus far, determining future goals etc, etc - but aside from that I’m happy. My wife is due to give birth to our first born in a months time, all is well at work, financially we have no worries, I’m surrounded by close mates who I grew up with and have good leisure / social outlets ... and I find myself in rude health (apart from carrying a bit too much timber).

I wish I’d been a little more chilled out and wiser in my youth. It took me a while to discover that sources of satisfaction sometimes lie beyond my control and that the world does not reliably confirm to my wishes.

Actively seek out short-term treats, whether it’s a walk in the sunshine, a cheeky espresso when you should be at your desk, or a quick workout. Corny as it seems, you may find yourself feeling lucky to be alive. You can’t make the sun shine, but you can take full advantage when it does.

This. You have to actively look after your mind and the little things add-up. Your mind is the most important organ in your body. Take great care of it.

I do think that experiencing life-changing events forces you to reassess what you want from your life and, when it comes down to it, what's really important.

IMO ,you only get true happiness when you can appreciate the other end of the scale,and have been through the mill a bit.

Agreed - and it's also important to keep reminding yourself about where you sit on the scale of "fortunate". First world problems like a late delivery or someone not replying to an email are never cause to be upset. Filter it out.

- Do you have food, shelter and water?
- Do you have an activity you enjoy doing?
- Are there people in your life that you enjoy interacting with?
- Are you reasonably healthy?

If you can answer yes to all 4 of the above, you have NOTHING to complain about. A huge portion of the world's population don't.

Not quite a 'smug 7' here, but happy enough thanks.
G.
Mind you, Binners has a point 😉 It doesn't pay to overthink things, esp stuff you can't do much about. Fight the battles you can win. Vote. Play the cards you're dealt.

It doesn't pay to overthink things, esp stuff you can't do much about.

Great point - and something I said to a mate who tends to overthink just about everything. I naturally err towards the flippant end of the scale for just about everything in life, with a very simple 2 step approach:

Can I do anything about it? Do something about it
Can I not do anything about it? Think about something else

You can’t make the sun shine, but you can take full advantage when it does.

OOh worthy of adding to the motto thread.

Interesting idea in the article that being happy may be the cause of success and not a result of it. I've read something along these lines before. There was also an element of how people feel about luck, some people considered themselves lucky others unlucky but when studied the number of positive and negative experiences evened out. It was more an attitude to dealing with them. The lucky ones focussed on the positives.

Anyway, I'm not ecstatic but I'm doing a whole lot better than people in North Korea...

[i]married people have a lot more sex, Well at least I got a laugh out of that.[/i]

People generally have a lot less sex than you think, so it's probably true.

I have enough money to live, my kids like me, I'm healthy, my job is mostly OK, I get enough sex 🙂

Happy enough

Am I happy..?

Fairly regularly, yes

Most of us were extremely lucky to live in the UK in the late 20th century. .

Many of us are/were frustrated by not being [i]quite[/i] able to live the dream, though.

-We can't all be Binners.

Things may be on the slide a little now, though

footflaps - Member
Actually it's the magazine that is designed to make you feel bad. Negative emotions are strong motivators and the aim of the magazine is to please the advertisers. The basic plan is, fill the magazine with images of unrealistic perfection, feed insecurity and hope readers buy advertiser's stuff in an attempt to feel less insecure.

Obviously everyone is affected to a different extend, but that's what they're designed to do.

I would regard myself as cynical enough not to be taken in by magazines and ads, but having a read of a pre- Xmas MBR even had me thinking about my second-hand bitsa bikes and,

"Maybe I do actually need a 29er with electronically-controlled full suspension? and a 29er hardtail?"
and,

"how have I managed to ride for 20-odd years without a dropper post? In fact, I've obviously not really been riding"

I went for a ride on one of my shonky machines and quickly snapped out of it.

If I were a weaker man I'd have thought,

"My suspension coatings are all wrong"

"9 speed is extremely wrong"

and gone out and bought a flash new bike to go with the Audi S-Line that is essential for a trip to Llandegla.

No. Sod off.

Isn't modern society designed almost entirely to make everyone feel unhappy/inadequate, then sell us (usually expensive) things to make us feel happy/adequate?

joao3v16 - Member

Isn't modern society designed almost entirely to make everyone feel unhappy/inadequate, then sell us (usually expensive) things to make us feel happy/adequate?

Breaking News:

The High Street was hit hard by joao3v16's statement earlier. Consumer confidence is now low enough that people are buying less stuff that they don't need with money they don't have.

DezB - Member

No. Sod off.

Strange your post is still there. I posted a pictorial equivalent in much the same humorous vein, and had it deleted by the powers that be, for some bizarre and unexplained reason. Bit like this comment will be, I expect. 🙄

On that scale of 1-7 I'd say a 2.1

"Exercising, praying and doing nothing but relaxing are very positive ways to spend time."

I practise 3 outta 3 of those, these Happpy days (where's the Fonz Smiley?)

The first and the second defo help the third.

And a relaxed body and mind is the key for me

[i]Strange your post is still there[/i]

Maybe no-one's reported my misery yet. If I had a post deleted, I think that would probably tip me over the edge.

*clicks Dezzie's history*
*reports every post*
*gets strangest boner*

Isn't modern society designed almost entirely to make everyone feel unhappy/inadequate, then sell us (usually expensive) things to make us feel happy/adequate?

That is the basis for the whole advertising industry, so yes. So the less you expose yourself the better (ie avoid magazines and TV).

married people have a lot more sex.

I have enough money to live, my kids like me, I'm healthy, my job is mostly OK, I get more than enough sex

Happy enough

This +1

Why do people always go on about the lack of jiggy jiggy with married couples, sure it slows down a bit when the kids are young (mine are 8 and 2) but I probably get more now than I did 23 years ago when mrscarlos and me got together. If the chemistry is there the partnership grows. I can't keep my hands of my wife 😳

Working as little as possible and spending that time with our young family or cycling makes me happy and content.

Being self employed helps, in that I can (to a degree) work as much/little as is required.

I've been putting of doing something for months, mainly due to fear and lack of commitment, today I refused to procrastinate, got loads done and I feel swell.

I also took the dog for a long walk in the snow, which he loved, I got soaked but he was happy, so I am happy

All in all a good day

Am I happy?

depends what "Happy" means to you doesn't it I suppose

I reckon So, life isn't perfect but I can't complain, I love my family and enjoy my work, earn enough to live a relatively comfortable lifestyle, there are other things I'd like to spend more of my time doing, including riding bikes more, but isn't that the case for most people?

I think the problem is that many people suffer from is an excess of aspiration / high general expectations, which basically means they can never be "happy" there's always something else to chase (Probably advertised in MH).

I also don't place much stock in the popular culture of reveling in long hours and lack of work/life balance (seems to be quite a British thing these days) just seems like a form of martyrdom for Dickheads...

I look at my parents generation (early 60's, just retiring) and a brief pang of jelousy kicks in. They're all retiring late 50's / Early 60's with adequate savings, pensions, plenty of equity in their homes to see them through 30 years of healthy retirement.
I pretty much know I can't realistically expect the same, but then t my future isn't as bleak as say that of a Cypriot or Greek of similar age / education so I still have a relatively good lot in life...

Like many I like a bit of a rant on various FWP type topics, but once the bluster is done, I'm a pretty content soul really.

Why do people always go on about the lack of jiggy jiggy with married couples

Because in some cases it's true.

[i]Why do people always go on about the lack of jiggy jiggy with married couples[/i]

Not enough swingers in town ?

Not enough swingers in town ?.

People need to get out more and stop at houses with pampas grass. That will spice up their life a bit.

As for being happy, I think my answer will be "more or less". There are times that I am and times when I am not. Those can roughly be divided into when I am at home or with my wife (happy) and when I am at work (not happy).

I guess it all balances out in the end. A net zero if you would.

[i]I guess it all balances out in the end. A net zero if you would.[/i]

But what if you jacked the job, did something you like, worked from home..... Oh, hang on.

I don't need to read an article in a magazine to tell me i'm f***ing miserable.

My tyres are very happy 😆

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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/druidh2000/8571411999/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/druidh2000/ ]ScotRoutes[/url], on Flickr

I really am. I've got flu and today is the first time in five days I've been able to get out of bed. From 10pm Friday through to 8pm Monday I spent my time mostly drifting and out of feverish sleep - I'd wake trying to work out which of my legs was the stone block with the higher water spout positioning!

I don't know that I'm fully better now, but I'm way better than I was. I am currently sitting up in bed listening to my wife put our daughter bed. They both sound great!