Paper Topic:

`What is the relationship between happiness and meaning? Why

The Relationship of Happiness and Meaning

Meaning can have both a positive and a negative contribution in attaining happiness . This is because people have different concepts of what meaning and happiness is

The meaning of life for most people is to have a sense of purpose or reason for existence , and usually it is directed towards doing and attaining something that is good . It is natural that when a person finds meaning in his life then he is happy . If he feels and think that somehow his existence had fulfilled a definite

purpose in this life then it gave him some form of satisfaction and joy , even if his circumstances are not favorable . Moreover , if this person had adopted a lighter , achievable meaning to life then his happiness can be a constant occurrence . For example , if he think that the meaning of life is to accept whatever comes his way and do what for him is right under the circumstances , then it is easier for him to be happy for usually he is the kind of person who is contented with himself and with life in general (Ryff 1071 Craig 4

However , if he feels or think that his life did not contribute something good in society and his fellowmen , or that he had not fulfilled the kind of purpose of which he feels he was made for , then he would be unhappy for he will judge himself worthless . This is especially true for people who take life too seriously . The meaning of life for them is oftentimes rooted on some deep philosophical thought , evaluating past and future , so that oftentimes the search for the meaning of life led man to live a mystical , unachievable state of existence . For example , some people feels that for their life to have meaning they should do something extraordinary or heroic , something that they should be remembered for long after they were gone . Therefore , they constantly work themselves beyond their limits and look for the moment when they think they can shine and when at the end of life , after self-evaluation they feel they had not done a deed worth remembering or were not afforded the opportunity to be different , and then they feel unhappy . On the other hand , most people equate the meaning of life to their religious belief (Craig 5 . For them , life is meaningful only when they were able to follow all the religious rules and be accepted to God There is nothing wrong with this for surely God provided man the real meaning of what life is supposed to be . However , some people become too religious , perfectionists and judgmental so in the end they always become unhappy

Both happiness and meaning is important for man 's existence . How meaning affects happiness depends on individual definition of happiness and meaning . However , too much searching for the meaning of life can seriously affect man 's daily happiness for meaning always makes man look back to the past and forward to the future...

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