Life’s Purpose #10 - Living a Happy and Ethical Life
“I will first and foremost do what it takes to make myself happy. With this continued state of being, I will be able to treat others in a respectful and kind way. My happiness will lead to actions that are just, fair, and ethical for others.”
Happiness is an emotional state characterized by feelings of joy, contentment, satisfaction, and fulfilment. There are many synonyms for the word happiness. They include bliss, contentment, delight, elation, enjoyment, euphoria, exhilaration, glee, joy, jubilation, laughter, optimism, pleasure, prosperity, well-being, beatitude, blessedness, cheer, cheerfulness and content. Exuberant is considered the strongest work for happiness and is like the word cheerful but even stronger.
Hap is the Old Norse and Old English root word for happiness. It just means luck or chance. Old English bliðe meaning happy survives as blithe. In many European languages, the word for happy at first meant lucky. One exception was Welsh, where the word they used for happy meant wise.
Happiness is often described as involving positive emotions and life satisfaction. It is the feeling of truly enjoying life and the desire to make the very best of it. Happiness is the secret sauce that can help us be and do our best. Happy people are more successful and are better at reaching goals.
Treat others in a respectful, kind and ethical way. Respect means that you accept others for who they are, even when they are different from you or you don’t agree with them. Respect is treating others the way you would want to be treated. Treating others in a respectful way means extending patience, courtesy, kindness and politeness to others.
Acts of kindness have the potential to make the world a happier place. An act of kindness can boost feelings of confidence, being in control, optimism and happiness. Acts of kindness can also encourage others to pay it forward by repeating the good deeds they have experienced themselves. Acts of kindness contribute to a more positive community.
Ethical behaviour includes honesty, fairness, and integrity. When you display ethical behaviour, you make decisions keeping others’ interests in mind.
Being happy and treating others in a respectful, fair, kind and ethical way is how to live the Golden Rule. Treat others as you would want them to treat you.
# living life abundantly # published author # travelling tuesdays
