Happy at every age?
Is it possible that our idea of happiness may be related to our age and levels of experience? Celebs discuss
A recent survey has indicated that the idea of ‘happiness’ changes with age. And while young people tend to associate happiness with excitement and an adrenaline rush, older people define happiness as a feeling of contentment and peacefulness.
Designer Nisha Jamvwal, who counts herself among the married club, feels that for her happiness depends on her work and achievements. And she doesn’t exclude excitement from her idea of happiness saying that the adrenaline rush comes when she’s travelling: “I love adventure. I’ve just returned from a New Year vacation in Barcelona and spent my time exploring the city. The Robinson Crusoe kind of exploration gives me loads of happiness.”
Fitness expert Deanne Pandey, who’s within the same peer group, however agrees wholeheartedly with the results of the survey. “I have a 16-year-old daughter and a young son for whom happiness is shopping, going out to a nightclub, a new videogame or a new friend. That kind of happiness is so limited. As we grow older and wiser and go through life’s ups and downs, our idea of happiness changes.” Deanne, who’s just returned from a “noisy” New Year’s break in Goa, says that for her being away from the noise and in a quiet space equates with happiness.
“Or if it comes to people, it no longer matters whether a person is rich or not, what is important is that he is a good, clean human being in an inner sense,” says, Deanne adding that she’s grown less attached to the idea of having millionaire friends (of which she may have a few) and more attached to reaching out and helping other people. She says, “You realise as you grow older that happiness comes from within you. After you have been through the travails of life, you realise why billionaires are reaching out and giving large parts of their income to charity. Today I get so much happiness out of seeing other people happy, about putting a smile on the faces of those I encounter — whenever that is possible.”
Says pyschotherapist Seema Hingorrany, who deals with clients across all age groups, “I would say that the idea of happiness is directly co-related with age. From my observations the primary happiness for teenagers and youngsters is materialistic and based on external factors. However with age comes enhanced wisdom and an older person might realise, for example, that happiness is having a good spouse or good children. Some people in the course of life might equate happiness with good health. I have a 65-year-old client with cancer who says that for him happiness would be to be healthy again and spend time with his wife and kids. But you can’t expect teenagers or youngsters, who tend to be healthy, to understand that can you?”
Seema also adds that what one’s idea of happiness is based on, can depend largely on one’s family background and the influences one grew up with. For example, children in families that emphasise spiritual development may tend to seek their happiness in spiritual pursuits, sooner or later. Besides outrage, our ideas of happiness are also developed by our roots, our peer groups and the social circle that we move in, to a great extent.”
Is it possible that our idea of happiness may be related to our age and levels of experience? Celebs discuss
A recent survey has indicated that the idea of ‘happiness’ changes with age. And while young people tend to associate happiness with excitement and an adrenaline rush, older people define happiness as a feeling of contentment and peacefulness.
Designer Nisha Jamvwal, who counts herself among the married club, feels that for her happiness depends on her work and achievements. And she doesn’t exclude excitement from her idea of happiness saying that the adrenaline rush comes when she’s travelling: “I love adventure. I’ve just returned from a New Year vacation in Barcelona and spent my time exploring the city. The Robinson Crusoe kind of exploration gives me loads of happiness.”
Fitness expert Deanne Pandey, who’s within the same peer group, however agrees wholeheartedly with the results of the survey. “I have a 16-year-old daughter and a young son for whom happiness is shopping, going out to a nightclub, a new videogame or a new friend. That kind of happiness is so limited. As we grow older and wiser and go through life’s ups and downs, our idea of happiness changes.” Deanne, who’s just returned from a “noisy” New Year’s break in Goa, says that for her being away from the noise and in a quiet space equates with happiness.
“Or if it comes to people, it no longer matters whether a person is rich or not, what is important is that he is a good, clean human being in an inner sense,” says, Deanne adding that she’s grown less attached to the idea of having millionaire friends (of which she may have a few) and more attached to reaching out and helping other people. She says, “You realise as you grow older that happiness comes from within you. After you have been through the travails of life, you realise why billionaires are reaching out and giving large parts of their income to charity. Today I get so much happiness out of seeing other people happy, about putting a smile on the faces of those I encounter — whenever that is possible.”
Says pyschotherapist Seema Hingorrany, who deals with clients across all age groups, “I would say that the idea of happiness is directly co-related with age. From my observations the primary happiness for teenagers and youngsters is materialistic and based on external factors. However with age comes enhanced wisdom and an older person might realise, for example, that happiness is having a good spouse or good children. Some people in the course of life might equate happiness with good health. I have a 65-year-old client with cancer who says that for him happiness would be to be healthy again and spend time with his wife and kids. But you can’t expect teenagers or youngsters, who tend to be healthy, to understand that can you?”
Seema also adds that what one’s idea of happiness is based on, can depend largely on one’s family background and the influences one grew up with. For example, children in families that emphasise spiritual development may tend to seek their happiness in spiritual pursuits, sooner or later. Besides outrage, our ideas of happiness are also developed by our roots, our peer groups and the social circle that we move in, to a great extent.”
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