General Happiness Level

OK, time for some heavy philosophy here.

You've probably all heard of the study that measured general happiness levels of people who'd won the lottery and people who'd become paraplegic. What they found was that after a period of 6-12 months, those people's level of perceived happiness returned to the pre-event baseline. (note that I haven't actually found this study, just references to it).

The conclusion is that your happiness level is determined by your nature and not by things that happen to you.

I've found this to be generally true for me. I've had some really good things and some really bad things happen in my life, but find that after an adjustment period, my level of happiness returns to its standard baseline.

But if this is really true, it means that you won't be any happier if you retire! Or it means if you throw away all your money and just walk outside and devote your life to lying in the gutter, you won't be any more or less happy than you are now.

Yes?

[yakers]

yes.

[laurence]

Weeeeeeeelll, I think someone with a high happiness baseline is still bumming if they live in Somolia. ER is a constant input thing. People get happier after they win the lottery, then return to a baseline, but most also lose all there money within 5-10 years, too. ER is like hitting the lotto every day. Constant positive input, raising you to the top of your hapiness potential! Or, at least I've been told

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Is it that you return to the former level of happiness or what you perceive was your former level? Who is doing the measuring?

It may simply be that people adapt and adjust to the new environment and its their perception that they're no more or less happy after some time has passed, while reality is different?

I can say with substantial authority that I am MUCH happier now than when I was working. I did enjoy the challenges at work but I hated getting up early, travelling, dealing with mental midgets, and the tediousness of work.

Now I just sit around and tell jokes to you guys. And bounce a baby all day. Much better

[yakers]

I posted on this on Motly Fool and they quoted me,....If you want to be happy in retirement---be happy before you retire. Now will you have enough money to retire is another question. And a good one. Just do not confuse the two issues.
Now I am a happy person. I drive my teenage son crazy, I don't care if its rain or shine, I'm happy. He rolls his eyes and says to Mom: "Dads having another happy attack."
I don't remember being consistantly happy as a kid. It sort of decended on me as a "gift" in a religious experience, which I do not commonly share.
But I do think one has a general disposition but I also think that it can change either over time by spiritual/consciousness work or even suddenly by , well, a life changing event. (Childbirth?). The most enlightened man I know got really "clear" in life from a combat experience, not a path I would generally recommend.
Anyway, nice topic. What is happiness to you? My first grandchild for me. My wife & two boys. I like that this board covers financial issues but is willing to engage with questions like this. After all money is just a means not an end in itself.

[wabmester]

What is happiness?* *If it's a state of euphoria, then that is almost certainly a temporary state.* * Nobody goes around constantly euphoric unless they're on drugs.

In retirement, my tolerance for BS has gone to zero.* * I basically avoid unpleasant people and unpleasant situations because I can.* * I guess that means that on average, I'm happier.* * *And on nice days like today, I used to long to go outside and play.* *I no longer long.* *I just go outside and play.

In fact, yesterday was so nice, I decided to take a picture of it.* * Here's my backyard.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Just dont go deep for a long pass...

[laurence]

wabmester, where do you live? That looks like hapiness to me.

[unclemick]

wabmester - get rid of those stupid hills and it looks a little like my backyard - except Ponchartrain is warmer than Puget Sound - heh, heh.

One drawback - school is out early down here - so like ducks on a pond - teenagers and waveriders et al expected for the 'start' of the season.

[wabmester]

Yeah, unclemick knows this place well.* * There's no happiness here.* *Just lots of rain, earthquakes, and liberals.

We're on an island a few miles west of this nasty metropolis (also shot yesterday):

[laurence]

Lucky duck! Took a ferry over Vashon Island once, I love the whole area.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Looks like bainbridge.

[unclemick]

General happiness level - whether the pretty pac NW or a humble backyard anywhere's ville - in ER there is a paradym shift in beauty.

[wabmester]

The artist formerly known as TH is the winner. * *But all those islands are the same. * *Nasty places. * Did I mention the caterpillar invasions? * *And volcanic activity? * *No happiness here. * Move along, please.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I spent a couple of weeks on bainbridge with an old buddy who lives there. Wonderful place. Perfect weather, nice people, great scenery. I think everyone should consider living there. Check it out!

[wabmester]

Just to show that retirement doesn't equate to happiness, I'll tell you my unhappy story for today. High tide isn't till about 10pm tonight, so I had to wait till about 5pm for the tides to get high enough to launch my kayak. At 5pm, there was still a rocky beach to cross. Did I mention that the beaches are rocky here? We don't get any of that crushed coral that Nords gets.

Anyway, I'm sure I twisted my ankle a couple of times before I got my kayak into the water. And then I launched, was immediately hit by a wave, capsized, and got soaked.

I left my water-tight bag in my other car, so I figured it would be OK to carry my cell phone in my pocket as long as I kept dry. I didn't keep dry. My cell phone isn't talking to me anymore.

Not the happiest day of my life, but it still beats working

[dougdo]

Well the reason I chose ER and the reason I'm considering ER overseas is I'm not much in agreement with our society's values for happiness and success (i.e. more stuff) so I Choose Something Else

[KB]

I'll be on Bainbridge next month visiting my cousin. Beautiful place.

[MRGALT2U]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dougdo Well the reason I chose ER and the reason I'm considering ER overseas is I'm not much in agreement with our society's values for happiness and success (i.e. more stuff) so I Choose Something Else

I'm not "much in agreement with our society's values" on anything.
ER overseas is fine IMHO. But, after you ER, you can excape a lot
of the annoyances and still not leave the USA. Different strokes!

JG

[MRGALT2U]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wabmester Just to show that retirement doesn't equate to happiness, I'll tell you my unhappy story for today.* * High tide isn't till about 10pm tonight, so I had to wait till about 5pm for the tides to get high enough to launch my kayak.* *At 5pm, there was still a rocky beach to cross.* * Did I mention that the beaches are rocky here?* *We don't get any of that crushed coral that Nords gets. Anyway, I'm sure I twisted my ankle a couple of times before I got my kayak into the water.* * And then I launched, was immediately hit by a wave, capsized, and got soaked. I left my water-tight bag in my other car, so I figured it would be OK to carry my cell phone in my pocket as long as I kept dry.* * I didn't keep dry.* *My cell phone isn't talking to me anymore. Not the happiest day of my life, but it still beats working

I say that to people all the time (sure beats workin'). Problems
generally seem more manageable, I think due to the
simplification factor in ER. When you are already up to your neck
in alligators, these other little issues are magnified out of proportion.
Easier to shrug them off now. Age (maturity?) helps also.

JG