What Is the importance of  happiness and being in total peace with yourself? I believe achieving happiness is very important in life. Not only feeling happy is important but staying happy as well. I feel like that’s what we’re all trying to do right now, trying to be successful in order to be happy. Obviously not feeling happy would destroy a person. Constantly feeling sad and bad can ruin a person. After this unit in English, it has made me realize how much more important happiness is, and how far people would go to achieve it. Many people in our society today are forced to do something for a living that they don’t enjoy doing, and many people are doing something they enjoy but aren’t financially stable. One example that comes to mind when thinking of happiness is Lakers starting point guard, Russel Westbrook. Throughout this season he has faced lots of criticism and hate due to the lack of production. However, he sees this as another challenge and takes the challenge head on and continues to do the thing he loves. 

There are many philosophies and religions that can help one become happier. “Stoicism specifically, is a philosophy of life that maximizes positive emotions, reduces negative thoughts, and focuses on one’s virtues and character.” I recently did a report on this philosophy and learned that practicing stoicism can help one block out negative thoughts and turn them into positives. One motto Stoics (People who practice stoicism) follow is “I don’t run from my mistakes, I learn from them”. Following this quote can help someone turn negatives into positives. There are many teachings from stoicism that can lead to greater happiness. 

Becoming happy and at peace may be very difficult. Most of it is a mental war. With balancing many things in life, unfavorable events can always happen at the worst times, making you feel very overwhelmed. “Danger always strikes when everything seems fine” is a quote that really connected with me with this topic. Having a good mindset can help with achieving happiness and a lot more. Growth mindsets help you analyze every situation and get the best out of everything. “Focus on the things they can control”, this is a common phrase someone with a good mindset feels. It helps them achieve more than people with a worse mindset. 

When things are going south and causes one to feel overwhelmed, it is important to notice this and come with a solution. This is important because feeling overwhelmed and depressed about a certain topic can really cause one to be unhappy. Learning about the importance of breaks and play is essential. On one of my recent assignments regarding play and how important it is. I learned that life can be very demanding. We all need some time to take a break and “play”. Generally when you hear the word play you think of a kid and childish shenanigans, however, play, not only play but taking breaks is important and something we shouldn’t ignore as it comes with many benefits.

Reading books and watching movies can help you with being at peace with yourself and overall happiness. First of all books and movies and things of that nature, can help educate yourself on ways of becoming a happier person. One book I am very fond of with this topic is Siddhartha. Throughout the book Siddhartha (the protagonist) wanders out in search of enlightenment. “I was afraid of myself, I was feeling myself, I wished to destroy myself” This quote from the novel is a perfect example because it shows the negative effects that come with feeling unhappy and overburdened. This quote gives you a better understanding on why having a good mental is so vital in order to be happy. Having positive thoughts help you become a happier person overall. 

To sum up, staying happy and becoming happy is something that is very important and essential to have in life. Being happy can help you throughout your life in countless ways. There are many methods of becoming happy such as religions, philosophies, and beliefs, healthy mindset, books and movies, and much more.