"Shakespeare's Hamlet may cost ten dollars in the bookstore; what it means to us cannot be measured," Shaher. (p.58).

Actually, all what I've read today from Happier is interesting, but the quote above is most striking since it reveals a social habit which is we value the material more than the means. We cannot form happiness by depending on how much things cost, yet we can if we focus on whether or not theses things make us feel happy.

Thank you,

Ahmed Al-Tameemi

 

The Ultimate Currency

In his book " Happier," Shahar says that Marva Collins, a schoolteacher, in Chicago where a place for drugs and crime. In 1975, she established children school, Westside Preparatory, which receives the children who somehow were rejected by another schools and were about to wander in the streets. Collins used her house as a school and sometimes were struggling financially, but she persevered until her schools have expanded in states. Collins's schools developed students' confidence and gave them a hope in life after they had had no hope. Despite the prestigious positions that she could have accepted, she was feeling full delighted between students because happiness is not gold, money, or prestige. Happiness is the ultimate currency.

Do think that enhancing people life and leaving a good impact is worth more than gold and money, and it is that creates happiness? Why? Why not?


Ahmed

Summary

Potential and Happiness

In his book Happier, Shahar says that as long as we are pursuing worthy life, we have to use as much amount of energy as  we can to do that. Meanwhile, we have to think about the potentials. For  example, if woman wants to take an effective place in her country(potential for happiness), she could be happy also if she becomes teacher instead of being president. However,  It is not happiness to be happy without doing something which is challenging. The more we do, the more meaningful life and happier we get.


 Do you agree that getting happiness easily is not as same as with hard work? Why/ Why not ?


Thank you,

Ahmed Al-Tameemi

Hi,
Actually I got sad while reading today. The author mentions in Happiness Eexplained Section that the neurologist, Damasio, gives an real-life example of how the emotion and stimulation are connected.One of the Damasio's patients lost part of his brain after having a surgery of brain cancer. This lose makes him miss emotions. because of that, his wife left him, and he also lose his job.
I felt sad since it is so hard for the person to suffering from pain and in addition to that suffering, he loses the people.

Thank you,

Ahmed:)

Summary

Very respected company offered job to one of my students at Harvard, and she saw me and talked about that offer. She said that she had never thought to be involved in job she does not like. Although she had received many offers from other companies that she was interested in what they offered, she did not want to lose that very inspiring offer. Accordingly, she asked me whether I know when she can stop worrying about future and start getting happier, ( Ben-Sharer, Happier, p.25).

Event from Happier.

Do you think that you  easily resinged to helplessness? below, you can find whether or not you do.

In ''Happier'' book, there is an experiment was conducted by Seligman, which measure or show that. Seligman chose people and divided them into groups. Both groups were exposed to loud noise. The first group was able to stop the loud noise whereas the second could not. Later, when both groups were subjected to the same loud noise, and they could have turned it off if they had tried, those people in the second group did not try. They had resigned themselves to the predicament.

I chose this event because it made stop reading and think, In which group am I? And I want you to think too.

Thanks.

Shahar, my chosen independent book author. quoted " Building rituals requires defining very precise behaviors and perfuming them at very specific time- motivated them by deeply held values,"(Loher and Schwartz).

For me, this is totally true. Before I came to United States, I had been training as a weight lifter. I would go to gym four days per week, but sometimes if could not go, I was feeling sad, I was feeling just like I had committed a guilt. However, as soon as I had completed my exercises, I was getting happier and more energetic.

I think the meaning of happiness is waiting it; waiting for happiness is better than experience it because once I feel happy, definitely I will be sad after it. That is not because of sorrow or pain has come to me, but it is simply because of losing of that happiness. All happy moments are temporary.

Thanks,

Ahmed Al-Tameemi