[KLeVR]

What is something you are optimistic about, or brings a great amount of happiness to your life?

One example of optimism that happened to me recently was while I was in the waiting room at the doctor's office. Mind you, I hate waiting for doctors, and I can't stand small talk, but I've gotten pretty good at the small talking. So there was this girl who sat a couple chairs away, and I thought to myself, to hell with it! I'm going to say Hi and talk about something. With a deep breath, I looked over and began a great conversation, and she turned out to be a great person to talk to. Normally I feel drained after talking to strangers, yet I felt good after talking to her. I felt good to overcome my Introvert-self once more for the sake of conversation. It felt great, and I'm optimistic about meeting the next stranger!

An example of happiness would be my morning routine of yoga/stretches to limber up for the day, and drinking a strong cup of coffee before I head out into the world. It gets my day started, and makes me happy.

[Muse]

Optimism: I'm looking forward to valentines day.

Happiness: before going out I like to have an hour or two to relax. This usually involves watching the news, reading the paper, or playing a video game. I feel much better about the daily grind if I don't feel like I go from bed to work/school and then bed again.

[KLeVR]

	Originally Posted by Muse To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	before going out I like to have an hour or two to relax.

This x9trillionbilliongazillion! Having that time to kick back to relax before going out is absolutely necessary for me as well. That's the reason I wake up early everyday while everything is quiet and still around the house. I can meditate for a bit, and get focused on the day with my morning routine.

[Scrotus]

I'm optimistic about there being a way to convey logic and reason to the public and educating them/making them see reality rather than through social construct (which is irrational at some points). Religion tried by using symbolism...but that clearly got misinterpreted to shit and back. Buddhism tried with words, but they didn't do it correctly and sounded full of shit. So I'm just hoping it comes to me as an epiphany while I collect more and more data.

I'm happy when I give people advice and it helps them see through the bullshit problem they're having currently. They may not understand the big picture, but removing a 4x4 block of fog is better than nothing. I'm also happy when I learn new systems in chemistry, biology, and math. I love learning why (typical). I'm also happy when I realize that some cliche I always just overlooked is actually very very true, and just overlooked it before I stumbled upon "enlightenmet" as hippies/buddhists put it. I also enjoy observing animals and seeing the fundamentals they harness in their daily lives that humans have missed due to society, and subsequently suffer from it. I also like seeing "beautiful" scenery that nature has created. I also enjoy stumbling upon patterns that suddenly answer a question I've had stored off in a corner of my mind for ages. I'm also happy when I play MMO's and rape bitches and make dat $$$ because of the ability to see trends and understand what causes them, thus the variables become my personal playground.

[Caramello]

I am optimistic about my future because I prepare for it, and readily accept the consequences of my actions. The future can be happy, I just need to contribute to my future happiness. I guess it's the struggle before the reward that makes me happiest, since I think that generally, hedonism will have negative consequences.

[JTG]

Optimism: This time won't crash, burn, and end in a flaming wreck.

Happiness: So far, so good
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[Polymath20]

Optimism - New awesome job

Happiness - Having a decent social life

[KLeVR]

	Originally Posted by JTG To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Optimism: This time won't crash, burn, and end in a flaming wreck. Happiness: So far, so good To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Let me guess...is this your thought process while riding a motorcycle?

---------- Post added 02-03-2012 at 04:27 PM ----------

Congrats on the new job! What do you do for a living, and are you satisfied with this vocation?

[davai]

Death. The long haul. Probably done it enough times, more to the grand scheme than this current level. 'Reality' problems, nothing to worry about.

[Hymn]

I'm optimistic about being happy, because I always can, if decide to be.

I'm happy, because I decided to be.
As soon as I gave up feeling sorry for myself and started to define what I really wanted - and believe that I could and should have it - things began to change for the better. Now I have wonderful friends (and not too many of them), the best boyfriend I could ever imagine (even better than that), and my view of life is blissfully lighthearted. I feel like I could handle anything, and I don't have to be anyone else than who I am.

[KLeVR]

	Originally Posted by Hymn To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	As soon as I gave up feeling sorry for myself and started to define what I really wanted - and believe that I could and should have it - things began to change for the better.

Personally it took me many years to be able to show people who I really am. I didn't begin this process until I was about 20 years of age or so. Before that, I was very lost chasing after other people's expectations. Once I began the process of defining my happiness, my goals, my needs, my wants, and who I wanted to be then life finally became tremendously better. I think for us rational types, it's difficult to align our happiness with another person's mold of what happiness is suppose to be. We like to discover our own happiness, and build upon it on our own and then invite others to experience it with us. We can enjoy another person being happy, but it won't necessarily make us happy until we feel involved. Cheers for being happy!

[anticlimatic]

Optimism is a choice; happiness a reaction.

[KLeVR]

	Originally Posted by anticlimatic To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Optimism is a choice; happiness a reaction.

Does this mean to choose to be optimistic, and hope for happiness?

[Hymn]

	Originally Posted by anticlimatic To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Optimism is a choice; happiness a reaction.

Happiness might be a reaction, but not necessarily to external circumstances. If you choose to be optimistic, you can force your reactions to be positive rather than negative. And that will make you happy - almost regardless of what you're reacting to. Things are never good or bad; we make them good or bad, depending on our mental approach (conscious or subconscious).