As I walking through the plant today, I asked one of the production team members how their day was going. There response was, "With all the changes going on around here, it's no wonder I'm not a happy person." I responded, "I hope this place isn't the measure of your happiness", to which they responded, "It's the biggest part of it!". As the day has gone on today, I've carried out a little poll here on the production line and I was surprised to discover that many of the people on the line stated that the day to day activities at work determine their happiness.
Now I'll admit, my job greatly influences my "mood", but my happiness............maybe, I'd never really thought about it that way.
So, that got me wondering.......What factors influence your "happiness"? It is work, family, faith, etc? Is one a greater factor than the other? I don't know that I have my answer yet. Looking for thoughts from the EJK Blog's pooled years of wisdom!
EDK
8 comments:
Good post, Eric. Your employee should be "happy" that he has a boss who cares about his day. It is a hard question, because the first and easiest thought would be "my faith" makes me happy. At work people have said, "You're always happy," and I'm glad that is their perception, but what is it that makes me happy? I'm happy when I have some feeling of control. When things are moving forward as I expected or imagined them in my mind. When I have some influence over my surroundings and I'm not at the mercy of someone else's decisions or something else that interferes with my "plan." I guess Dave would call that, "Getting my own way!"
Other things that make me happy: talking to my grandkids; getting away, or even more sometimes, the anticipation of getting away; and it makes me happy to wake up and find something new and fun on my computer, especially something on the EJK blog!
Someone told me once and I have found out that there is alot of truth in this statement:
"You are only as happy as your saddist child."
Jerry
Work absolutely influences a persons happiness! I think in two ways. First, it's a significant day-to-day influence on your "mood". And longer term, in whether your work aligns with your values, matches your personality, and is the kind of thing you can't wait to wake up and do again tomorrow.
Same is true of all other "big" things in life - family, marriage, money, etc. Oh, and don't forget the weather.
Interesting. Reading all of this makes me think about what is the difference between joy, happiness, and mood.
People definitely affect my happiness--being with family especially and of course friends or not being around them.
There can be joy even in difficult circumstances.
So now I have to think if I can be in a bad mood yet still be happy?
I'm really happy when my house is clean.
Happiness is how I feel when a grandchild volunteers a hug and a kiss and lights up with a big smile on their face. Julia, age 22 months, was a special delight for me when I was helping at Elizabeth's. She is "big" on hugs and I delighted in her affection.
I would love to know how to correct comments. I should have put "her" instead of "their" and I can't figure out how to fix it.
I JUST studied this topic for a girls' Bible class.
Not trying to "preach" here - but have just read MacArthur's commentary on Philippians, and this is in the first chapter:
"Most people define happiness as an attitude of satisfaction or delight based on positive circumstances largely beyond their control. Happiness, therefore, cannot be planned or programmed, much less guaranteed. It is experienced only if and when circumstances are favorable. It is therefore elusive and uncertain.
"Spiritual joy, on the other hand, is not an attitude dependent on chance or circumstances. It is the deep and abiding confidence that, regardless of one's circumstances in life, all is well between the believer and the Lord."
I thought that was a pretty good way to define the difference in the two concepts.
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