Unit 2  What is happiness to you?

whew! that’s a long list!
pleasure vs. happiness
happiness is not pleasure although they can appear similar. pleasure is enjoyment of an outside stimuli. you might find pleasure in buying a new car, or in going on vacation, or having friends over for dinner, or....the list is long on what you might enjoy experiencing. pleasure requires an external stimulus for you to experience it. happiness does not. happiness is a belief about yourself and the outside world. you can be doing something you normally experience as pleasurable but not be happy! pleasure is born from the external world; happiness is born from the internal workings of our own minds.
tips for happiness in daily life
by remez sasson
 
 daily life can be made happier. it is a matter of choice. it is our attitude that makes us feel happy or unhappy. it is true, we meet all kinds of situations during the day, and some of them may not be conductive to happiness. we can choose to keep thinking about the unhappy events, and we can choose to refuse to think about them, and instead, relish the happy moments. all of us constantly go through various situations and circumstances, but we do not have to let them influence our reactions and feelings. 
 if we let outer events influence our moods, we become their slaves. we lose our freedom. we let our happiness be determined by outer forces. on the other hand, we can free ourselves from outer influences. we can choose to be happy, and we can do a lot to add happiness to our lives.
 what is happiness? it is a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction. it is usually experienced when there are no worries, fears or obsessing thoughts, and this usually happens, when we do something we love to do or when we get, win, gain or achieve something that we value. it seems to be the outcome of positive events, but it actually comes from the inside, triggered by outer events. 
 for most people happiness seems fleeting, because they let changing outer circumstances affect it. one of the best ways to keep it, is by gaining inner peace through daily meditation. as the mind becomes more peaceful, it becomes easier to choose the happiness habit. 
 here are a few tips for increasing happiness in daily life:
1) endeavor to change the way you look at things. always look at the bright side. the mind may drag you to think about negativity and difficulties. don’t let it. look at the good and positive side of every situation. 
2) think of solutions, not problems.