Cockerham 1

S. Nicole Cockerham
Deborah Jizi
University Writing 1102
26 January 16
Double Entry Journal

Parfitt, Matthew. Pursuing Happiness: A Bedford Spotlight Reader. Place of Publication Not
Identified: Bedford Bks St Martin'S, 2015. Print.
Source: Quote (Page# or Paragraph #)

Responses

But this happy person you know seems

able tp brush off the frustrations, the
stresses, the hardships, and the
disappointments, to pick herself up each
time and to put on a positive face. Pg. 179

I know too many people like this and wish

more and more everyday that I could brush
off some bad things that seem to happen in
my life. We all know at least one person that
has a seemingly flawless life, but everyone
reaches peaks of happiness at different
times. I know my day will come eventually
that I will hopefully be worriless and seem like
I have all my ducks in order.

We cant define it, but we know it when we

see it pg. 184

This is how I felt when asked to write an

essay on what makes me happy the first day
of class. I know what it is and what it means
to me, but I have a difficult time getting it out
of my head and onto the paper, all of us do.
Like the happiness video we watched in class
one of the first few days of school, everyone
has to stop and think a second on what
makes them happy. We all know, but it is a
difficult question to say the least.

The first myth is that happiness is

something that we must find pg 185

Happiness is different for everyone,

something within us that is expressed in
different situations. It is NOT something that
we find, it is something that we express, it is a
state of mind that we drift in and out of.

Another big fallacy is the notion that if only

something about the circumstances of our
lives would change, then we would be
happy. Pg 185

I feel like this often, and have felt like this for
many years. This quote really stood out to me
because for years I have had a list in my
Iphone of things to accomplish or overcome,
then I would be worriless. For example, I truly
thought that when I got my braces off in
middle school that I would be happy and
worriless the rest of my life because that was
the one thing holding me back. Nope, not true
at all. Because once you accomplish one

Cockerham 2

thing, another barrier arises and you think to

yourself again, once I accomplish that, I will
be worry free. The cycle is endless. The list
on my phone gets short, and then something
else is added.
The reality is that elements that determine
our happiness in the past, and can make for
future happiness, are with us right now and
are right here waiting to be taken advantage
of. Pg 185

This is very accurate. We all have the ability

to be happy; we just need do what makes us
happy instead of waiting for it to happen itself.

This notion-that we are born happy or

unhappy- is ubiquitous. Pg 186

It is all up to the person and their attitude!! I

personally dont believe that we are born
happy or unhappy, I believe that we
determine our own fates and we determine
our outlook on life, whether that be positive or
negative.

If you are unhappy with your job, your

friends, your marriage, your salary, or your
looks, the first step you should take toward
reaching greater lasting happiness is to put
those things aside in your mind for now. Pg
186

Like in Buddhism, in order to reach

enlightenment and eternal happiness, you
must first lose everything.

Those of us who wish we were a great deal

happier should be a little less hard on
ourselves. Pg 187

Instead of beating yourself up for having a

bad day, take the bad day and start fresh the
next. People worry too much, just take each
day as a blessing, and one day at a time.

Again, these findings are fascination,

underscoring the conclusion that happiness
is, to a large extent, influenced by genetic
factors, that each one of us inherits a preprogrammed set point. Pg 189

I found this very interesting. I didnt have any

idea that there was so much testing and
research on happiness. People have poured
some money and time in this kind of
research, and it is quite surprising to read that
happiness has a genetic component to it. I
always believed that a person determined
their own happiness, and never would have
thought a person was born more happy or
unhappy.

The empirical data from the happiness

Twins study led to the conclusion that the
genetic basis for happiness is strong-very
strong. Pg 190

This is shocking to me!

This means that no matter what your

genetic predisposition, whether or not that
predisposition is expressed is in your own
hands. Pg 193

This is my kind of thinking! Took the thought

right out of my head. Everyone has their own
fate and attitude in their hands.

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In a fascinating discovery, he noticed that

happy people show greater activity in one
side of the brain than the other, and
unhappy people show the reverse pattern.
Pg 193

Again, I am astonished in the research on this

topic. The fact that people have the ability
and research to look at electrode activity of
the brain is beyond me.

Contrary to popular belief, people actually

get happier with age. Pg 195

I can believe this. I keep thinking that I will be

at my happiest when I am married and have
kids, but not everyone wants this. I am happy
right now, no doubt in my mind, but I truly
believe that my peak happiness will be when I
get a job, marry the man of my dreams, and
have children one day. Motherhood will be my
peak happiness.

In a nutshell, the foundation of happiness

can be found in how you behave, what you
think, and what goals you set every day of
your life. Pg 196

Amen!! Enough said, I believe and support

this quote. A persons happiness lies in their
own hands!

In Class: February 17, 2016

Pg. 195: Contrary to popular belief, people actually get happier with age.
My Response: I can believe this. I keep thinking that I will be at my happiest when I am married
and have kids, but not everyone wants this. I am happy right now, no doubt in my mind, but I
truly believe that my peak happiness will be when I get a job, marry the man of my dreams, and
have children one day. Motherhood will be my peak happiness.
Re-thinking with the Believing Game:
1. How could this point be possible right?
a. This text has reputable research and evidence for the remarks they make.
Research has been conducted (a 22 year study) on WWII Veterans and many of
them became happier with age.
2. What is interesting or helpful about this view?
a. What is interesting about this view is that it is true whether I want to believe it or
not. A fact is a fact no matter what/how we interpret it.
3. What would I notice If I believed this view?
a. Maybe I would pay attention more to my surroundings and decide on my own
whether elderly people are more satisfied with their lies than the younger
generation.
4. In what sense and under what conditions could this be true?
a. According to the study, this is true for men. The study did not mention anything
about women, which is interesting because usually studies are for the population,
not just men. I would also like to see a non-war population tested because most
people would be happier after they get out of the military/army.
**Suppress the urge to disagree, be contrary, or argue with the view**