Do you know any happy lawyers? Your answer probably depends on how you define a happy lawyer. Here are a few thoughts on the subject. Let’s start by working the puzzle backwards. When you are feelings anxiety, depression, or dread you are not experiencing happiness. Thus, it stands to reason part of being happy is the absence of these emotions. However, that is merely part of the equation. Simply not having a horrible disease does not make you healthy.
Happiness is subjective. It is to be defined by each of us and, redefined by each of us. What makes you happy when you’re twenty does not always make you happy when you’re 40. However, if you dig down to its essence happiness is the presence of something that feels positive, enjoyable, gratifying, satisfying, pleasant, etc etc. You know what happiness is for you, you know what it feels like.
You do not just continually experience one emotion all the time. On a given day you can experience a wide variety of emotions. Negative emotions are not something we seek to totally eliminate. Your life experience, the happy and sad, shapes your humanity. Imagine the limited world views of a person who never experienced sadness or anxiety. How could this person ever have real empathy for another. When faced with tragedy, distress it is an appropriate emotional response. Nobody is happy all the time. Happiness must be balanced with the rest of your emotional states. It is the appropriate balance of happiness in your life that is the goal. So, do you know any happy lawyers?