Your Life Philosophy

Choosing Happiness

By Jennifer Beach

Do you know someone who finds happiness despite the challenges they are given? Do you know others who cannot see anything but their problems and experience very little happiness?

Most of us have been told how our attitude, perspective and overall philosophy of life determine our reactions to events, both positive and negative. Taking time to think about, understand and realize we have and need a philosophy of life is vital to our happiness. Without a philosophy of life, we do not know how to react to what life deals us. Our happiness bounces up and down, determined by the day’s events and our emotions.

We need a life philosophy to put events into perspective; otherwise, we are at the mercy of events. It’s like going on a trip without a destination. We need to know where we are going and have a plan or a map to help us get there while preparing for detours and delays.

Getting There

Our philosophy of life helps us accept, process and continue to choose to find happiness despite the many challenges life’s journey gives us. Some philosophies that enable individuals to get through difficult times are:

“That which does not kill me makes me stronger” by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. This is not always true; sometimes, horrible things make people weaker, not stronger. Overall, though, most people are stronger when facing and surviving adversity.

“Every cloud has a silver lining.” It is a classic of the Victorian Era’s “Despair not; strive for better things” sentiment. The philosophy conveys that, no matter how bad a situation might seem, there is always some good aspect to it.

“To love is to suffer,” said Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky. This has been true throughout much of history, although suffering was different in previous centuries than the suffering in today’s developed world. This philosophy means pain and loss are normal parts of life.

Belief in an afterlife. Belief in an afterlife where ultimate justice somehow unfolds has enabled people to cope with suffering more so than perhaps any other philosophy. There are many beliefs centered around an afterlife that people have written, discussed and challenged since the beginning of time. The main point is, there is much more beyond our worldly life, offering hope to those who have endured terrible and unjust suffering.

Developing a framework for a philosophy of life gives our lives meaning, helps us to make sense of it, and enables us to consciously choose happiness. No matter how old we are, it is never too late to think about, re-examine or develop a philosophy of life. It can allow us to bring more happiness into our lives, regardless of our situations.

Further, sharing our philosophy of life with our children or others can be a priceless gift to help them choose happiness, despite the challenges that they may face.

Jennifer Beach is an Advanced Aging Life Care Professional. She established Advocate for Elders (advocate4elders.com) in Rocky River and has 25 years of experience working with and advocating for older adults and their families.