While reading Eric Baker’s “8 Things the Happiest People Do Every Day”, I found a few points that I agree with. I also found multiple points that I disagree with. I believe that happiness is a choice. People either choose to live life to the fullest and happily, or choose not too. For that belief alone, I disagree with most of Baker’s writing.
One of the first things that I instantly disagreed with is Baker saying that people are happier when they go to church. Yes a large portion of our world is religious and enjoys church, but that does not mean all people do. Some (whether people want to believe it or not) people just do not enjoy church at all, actually bringing them more anger than joy. Baker’s main point was that it is not the practice that brings people joy, but is the social aspect of it all. That point I do not agree with, considering church is focused on the religion which does not bring everyone joy.
The second thing that I strongly disagree with is that most people are happier at work than at home. Baker says that it is common for people to be happier at work than at home. That may be true for some people, but not most. Most people tend to be stressed at work, bringing it home at the end of the day. The same thing can happen if someone is stressed and unhappy at home, they can easily bring it to their work.
The third, and possibly the strongest point I disagree with is having a “happiness subscription”. Baker said that no one should not wait for happiness, but should plan it out. I do not agree with that. No one can plan out how life goes, no matter how much someone tries and thinks they can. With everything that happens in life, no one has time to plan out their moods. No one should have to plan out all of their happiness, because that is just something that happens at random times and should not have to always be planned out.
Baker makes some good points about being a happy person, but not everyone can agree with them. It is hard to say what exactly makes people happy. Everyone is different when it comes to being happy. What makes one person happy, can make another person miserable.
“There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved,”- George Sand. The significance of this quote exemplifies that love is powerful and it can make people happy. When Sand says “… to love and be loved,” he refers to how one can be loved and share that love with your family and your friends as well. I believe that the good things in life come from love and that it can bring happiness to people even when things go wrong.
First, I came to believe this idea, because of how it’s shaped me today and how it will shape the rest of my future. Due to the death of my grandmother the year before in 2017, I have come to accept the fact that people cannot live on forever and that those precious memories of that person will stay with you for the rest of your life as you cannot forget that moment. I have felt very sad at that moment, but I have learned that some things are hard to let go and that love will stay and will bring you happiness as you continue with your life. I have memories of her that will stay with me, and with many others of my family. Secondly, this belief has continued to shape me as my grandfather has also passed a few months back.
Love is garden that you must let go. Love is a flower that withers away. Love is the key to happiness. Love is also a fire that burns, I felt sorrowful after he passed away and so did my family. I felt unhappy as now both of my grandparents had deceased. I felt as though it was a wind that was suddenly gone. These events have formed my personal belief, because it has shaped me how I am today. It is important to me because after having the loss of my grandparents, their love and memories that stay with me keep me going. This will help me be successful in the future by ensuring that even in the worst times happiness will pull through and can cheer me up.
