Are you happy?

[Chaki]

I wonder what you all do for a living, if you truly enjoy your lives, and if you have found true happiness.

I'm a very happy person, and I've had a very fortunate life so far (28 years). There's always room for improvement obviously, and the major one I'm focusing on is getting out of the corporate world and working for myself so I can have more freedom to pursue the things I want to pursue instead of spending 50 hours of every week commuting to and spending time in a cubicle under artificial light.

Do any of you live a life of abundance and freedom? If so, how, specifically?

[desert-rat]

You could cook your brain out in the Arizona (USA) sun fixing a/c unites instead of working in a cubical under florsent light .    You do get these funny thoughts some times when its 120 f , but as they say its a dry heat .  Plz ignore me , I fryed my brain long ago .   desert rat  

[ChopstickFox]

Ah, one more week and I will escape my cubical... and I hope to never need to be contained in one again... I have a very happy life. The past two years were spent biding my time in a pretty crappy job, but one week and I will be free!!!! Then I get to go to the other side of the world for a while! YAY!

No plans after that.

Myself a few years ago, I think I would have been terrified. I always needed a plan. Always needed two back ups for every plan. But life is so much more enjoyable going with the flow. So we'll see what comes next Hopefully no more cubical!

Desert Rat, I can empathize... I used to be a masochist and worked for the girl scouts... Florida summers, no AC, camping/being outside every day... that humid head at 100 degrees+ (though I don't think it ever reached 120) was a killer. What kills me is that I did it for two years. At a generous 25 cents an hour (assuming I got 8 hours sleep a night and my hour break during the day). I guess it was because I loved the nature :/ And subjecting myself to abuse. T_T

[Dreamshards]

Very very happy with my life. I have a three year old that brings me so much joy and has taught me not to take life for granite. I like my job: I work at a pizzeria as the kitchen manager. It's really hard and I break my back working overtime every week but I love the restaurant business and  I want to fulfill my dream of moving to Portland, OR and finishing my degree in culinary management. There are so many wonderful things to experience in life. I am excited for my future and all the new places I will get to see but I am also content with just doing what I am doing now.

[Szaxx]

@ Chaki,
Its a good job you're movin' on. I heard they are putting a hamster wheel in soon to complete the mind control thing. Lol.

[Chaki]

You could cook your brain out in the Arizona (USA) sun fixing a/c unites instead of working in a cubical under florsent light .    You do get these funny thoughts some times when its 120 f , but as they say its a dry heat .  Plz ignore me , I fryed my brain long ago .   desert rat 

That's true. A lot of people would love to have what I have, and I make it a point to remember and ponder that every single day. However, there's much more to be had, so that's what I want.

I remember someone saying a long time ago that the only thing that separates humans from animals is that we're never satisfied with what we have, and always strive for more. It's a blessing and a curse. Ideally, we would really, truly appreciate everything we have, but always strive for more.

Ah, one more week and I will escape my cubical...

Congrats! How are you escaping?

Very very happy with my life. I have a three year old that brings me so much joy and has taught me not to take life for granite. I like my job: I work at a pizzeria as the kitchen manager. It's really hard and I break my back working overtime every week but I love the restaurant business and  I want to fulfill my dream of moving to Portland, OR and finishing my degree in culinary management. There are so many wonderful things to experience in life. I am excited for my future and all the new places I will get to see but I am also content with just doing what I am doing now.

That's awesome, I'm happy for you.

As for kids...I'm not sure I want them. Without them, we can enjoy much more freedom, financially and time-wise, but every parent says it's the best thing he/she has ever done. On the other hand though, the men I know who decided not to have kids seem objectively happier and less stressed with their lives than the fathers I know. It's a tough one. I'm not sure I'll ever be ready to live first for my kid(s), second for myself. Fortunately, as a man, I have plenty of time to decide

P.S. Oregon is high on my list of places to visit. From the pictures I've seen, it looks like an absolutely beautiful place.

@ Chaki,
Its a good job you're movin' on. I heard they are putting a hamster wheel in soon to complete the mind control thing. Lol.

When I take a step back and look at the corporate world, I can't believe I've put up with it for so long (6 years). I just never really considered that there were a million legitimate alternatives, and just went with the flow.

What do you do for work? I understand if you don't want to answer.

[Stookie_]

No one is happy all the time. Life is relative to your situation, and no matter what that is, you're going to have your ups and downs. I think the key is having a balanced life. If you're only looking for happiness and fun, you're probably going to be disappointed, just as you would be if you were only looking for money or sex.

True spiritual freedom is in your thinking. If you really want to break the bonds of society's rules and values, you have to change your inner relationship to them through your thinking, feeling, & willing. It's not just what you do, but how you perceive. Your outer world is a reflection of your inner world.

[Dreamshards]

No one is disregarding that everyone has ups and downs or life. I believe the question meant are we generally happy with our lives and what we find happiness in, not if we have positive emotions every second of the day. That would be impossible unless we were all robots.

[Lionheart]

No one is happy all the time. Life is relative to your situation, and no matter what that is, you're going to have your ups and downs. I think the key is having a balanced life. If you're only looking for happiness and fun, you're probably going to be disappointed, just as you would be if you were only looking for money or sex.

Exactly!  
This is why we have emotions, instead of just a emotion!  

Living and experiencing the good, the bad and ugly is what life is all about. Your lessons and growth in life are achieved by how you deal with all of these experiences!  

[Bedeekin]

I'm generally happy. I make an effort to be happy and try to catch myself when I'm being down on something.

I have found happyness.. but it's not fairytale happiness... it's real happiness with ups and downs.

I work in a job that I dreamed of doing when I was younger. I never let anyone tell me I couldn't do it and always believed I could.

[ChopstickFox]

Congrats! How are you escaping?

I have an intricate plot involving a plastic spork and a tunnel I've been working on the past several months hidden behind the fax machine in the room beyond the security door. It is estimated that I will reach daylight in a few days.

No, seriously, I just put in my 2 weeks notice and hope that I have enough saved to still pay my student loans until I have an income again.

[Stookie_]

I'm satisfied with my life. There are aspects of it that make me happy at times, but overall, I would just say I'm content and appreciative of where I've gotten - it could have been a whole lot worse. It's the small things I find happiness in on a daily basis, like listening to Bob Marley at the end of a long day or having a cup of tea on the porch in nice weather. It's those things that make everyday a good day.

[rain_88]

I have an intricate plot involving a plastic spork and a tunnel I've been working on the past several months hidden behind the fax machine in the room beyond the security door. It is estimated that I will reach daylight in a few days.

No, seriously, I just put in my 2 weeks notice and hope that I have enough saved to still pay my student loans until I have an income again.

I should have thought of plastic forks instead of using my own teeth and nails  ....

[Szaxx]

Hi,
Im relatively happy. At work I build ' electrical/electronic units. Process control, safety shutdown systems and some dedicated fire prevention systems to name a few. Some used in manufacturing others for multi-million pound projects. I also get to build prototypes. It's not what I really want to do but pays the bills.
Having moved home recently Im adding walls, installing electrics where needed and that type of thing. Hardly any sleep and a large family too.
We're away from the tiny house and the wicked witch of the west. Yay!