Can you Categorize Happiness?

Drop #58: Identify 50 Things that Make me Happy

     I must admit, it is taking me much longer to find 50 things that make me happy than I had planned. I realize that this statement makes me sound kind of depressing (ungrateful? snobbish?), but finding that many things is actually a lot of work! Sure, instead of grouping those closest to me under categories such as 'friends' or 'family', I could go ahead and start listing individual names. However, that's not the purpose of this project. I'm supposed to be digging deep within myself, pulling out the happiness that, maybe, I unknowingly overlook every day. Happiness is always around the corner. The goal is to identify it.

     I've come up with about 30 things for the list so far. Something that I find quite interesting is that most of the items thus far seem to one of a few categories.

     "Stephanie, you find that interesting? Why?! You need a life!" 

You're right. I do need a life.

     But that's besides the point. What makes this interesting is that everything seems to be falling in to a handful of categories. This suggests that, at least for the things that we may immediately identify as making us happy, are very similar. Even though they are unique, I think I can argue that there is a single concept behind all of these categories.

     Well that sounds boring. Anyways, about the categories. I've found five:

Relationships

Husband=Happiness :-)

       One of the first things that is sure to grace nearly everybody's definition of happiness involves those who they are close to. Be it friends, family, co-workers, roommates, pets etc., those who we interact with on a fairly intimate basis and have developed a positive relationship with have had an impact on our lives. Each person, pet or what-have-you has his or her own quality, quirk, or uniqueness that makes them stand apart from the rest. These unique qualities in those we are close to create unique and meaningful relationships- relationships that ultimately contribute to our own identities. These people influence us, support us, and are there for us in any number of ways. These positive relationships are a significant contributing factor to our happiness.

Places

Where Happiness Begins...?

Hence the coined expression 'go to your happy place.' Special memories are often developed around places, and so we assign to them their own personal meanings. The town or house you grew up in, where you got married, a special vacation spot; these are all places that, by visiting or thinking about them, bring joy. Maybe it's a quiet spot where you can sit and reflect such as a loft, a quiet room, or a favorite comfy chair. These types of places are easily accessible, and being in them bring on a certain unique content-ness. Regardless of whether or not you visit sparingly or come often, special places result in a unique quality of happiness.  

Material Objects

Oaxacan Wood Carvings=Happiness :-)

I'd have to call you out on your lie if you told me that you didn't have objects in your life that gave you joy. It can be any number of things, and any number of meanings can be assigned to them: A childhood toy or blanket that you won't part with; a special sort of item that you collect. For some this item might be something expensive like a car or house. Although the connection with this item may not be as profound, these items are also sacred, usually because they are a symbol to their owner of the hard work and effort achieved at obtaining them to begin with. It's not selfish to realize and accept that these things make you happy. It should be embraced.

Food

Mongolian Food=Happiness :-)

We are human beings, and we love food. We have favorite foods, guilty pleasure foods, comfort foods. We like certain foods made certain ways, have preferences as to what goes in to our foods, and most importantly, what stays out of our foods. Some foods hold special meanings or memories, such as grandma's secret zucchini bread recipe or Dad's homemade pizza. We are foodies. Feed me.

    

Activities

Stalking Fish Prey=Happiness :-)

Hobbies, sports, watching television, browsing online or social networking, going out to eat, gaming, hunting (or, in my cat Jack's case, fishing.) It's those things we enjoy doing when we have some downtime: 'me time.' It's what gives us joy and pleasure in our lives. Personally, many of the happiest activities for me are the ones that I can do easily without going out of my way such as paint, blog, ride bike, etc. Other activities also make me happy such as snorkeling, traveling, etc., but they are not as easily accessible.

     I briefly stated that these categories may all be connected by one underlying factor. I have a theory; that happiness can be found in anything that we associate with positivity based off of our previous experiences with those things. That is to say, happiness as we typically define it is brought on by our interactions with the things we are familiar with, and that we have had a positive experience with in the past:

• Relationships are a definite source of happiness because of the positive foundation that we have built with those people. It is the previous experiences that has given our current relationships meaning and substance. Even negative experiences can have a positive impact, making relationships stronger and more resilient.
• Places that make us happy do so because of the positive memories that we've built there in the past. Like many religious temples or grounds, places that make us happy are our own personal sacred grounds. They hold a special and unique meaning that even the thought of the place can bring joy.
• Objects that make us happy have assigned personal meanings to them that are unique to the individual. Whether the object is something with great sentimental value or a symbol of hard work or overcoming hardship, it is often a positive and personal symbol.
• It is said that of the five senses, the sense with the best memory is that of smell. Without scent, you cannot taste Food. The smell of a favorite food itself is easily recognizable and incites happiness; something that would not be recognized without previous experience. Our favorite foods can have any number of associations attached to them, but surely they wouldn't be our favorites if the thought of the food reminded us of that time we threw up after eating it.
• If certain Activities didn't bring pleasure, we wouldn't do them for fun. We take on certain hobbies, events, etc because we like doing them and, like food, if we had too many bad experiences, the activity wouldn't be enjoyable anymore. Thus it is the building of of prior experience with the activity and gaining a better understanding of it that results in happiness when we do it.  

     I can only argue this point about those things that we most recognize as making us happy- those things that we first think of when we reflect on what makes us happy. For me, this seems to be the first thirty or so things. As I'm going along trying to find the last twenty or so things for my list, I'm finding that my happiness is becoming more and more abstract. I'm adding things that are hard to define, yet make me happy in a different sense.

     But enough of that! I can't say much about what I haven't done yet. Maybe by the time I finish the list, I'll have a better idea of what the hell it is I am trying to say.

What defines your happiness?