The 5 simple rules to being happy! Is it REALLY this simple you think?

Well, the rules are really appreciated and nevertheless if followed, one would be very happy in life without worries. Some of the rules can be easily followed like live simply, expect less, free from worries, free from hatred and also give more. But the question is we are human being and each human are unique. Their thought are different, they think differently. I just know that live and let live. Do not interfere in others life. Thats it. It is the best way one can be happy in life.

These might sound too idealistic and its difficult to practise these for our lives are dependent and intertwined with others, we live in a society after all. Having said this, the difference between practising and nor practising these is only a small bridge. we just need that kind of orientation and start believing in these. Like thoughts beget more like thoughts and i firmly believe in that. My life has changed enormously after i started to look at it differently. The bird's eye view is an amazing thing - it helps you correct yourselves. The 5 simple rules that you have mentioned really comes down to one simple rule EXPECT LESS and DO NOT expect in return. This helps me with all other negative traits like hatreds, jealousy, pride and conditional living.

Very useful rules. I like no 4 and 5; number 2 is a tough one! Another good one that I am still working on myself because it is definitely easier said than done is: 'Be very very still and allow every new experience to move through you with grace without any resistance whatsoever. You do not have to do anything, you simply have to be and let things happen." It is about letting go of results and just being while accepting what is. If we learned to live that way life would be a lot less stressful.

Actually, happiness comes from within. If we have to free our minds from worries and anxieties brought by outside forces. We cannot control things from outside they are beyond our capacity, but we can control and manage ourselves and what we feel. So I must agree that the above rules are incredibly true. if we have to free our minds from complication and learn to live the simple way, then there's no reason why we should not be happy and peaceful.

Yes for sure. Not having a job after working for 32 years you can easily downsize your life completely. I moved and got rid of alot. I try to keep away from people who are always looking at the glass half empty. I know I don't need alot to live on. I am trying to free my mind of worries which I think I've gotten better at. There are probably more that could be added but I can't think of them right now.

is laughing all the time considered being happy? because i am like that, even with little jokes i laugh right away... ============== i am doing 3 of what is stated above, the other two i find hard to do... how can i free myself from worries, when i dont have a job and there are so many bills to pay, worrying will be nonstop here. the only thing that would stop me from worrying is if i get myself drunk and forgot all about what is happening around me... lol the other one is hard for me to do also... i dont forget easily and i find it hard to forgive easily also...

I guess turning the other cheek is good, and forgiving and forgetting is best. Holding on to that anger can turn a person very bitter, and drawn into themselves and hatred just builds till they are incapable of thinking good about anyone. I know I have seen it many times. These 5 rules are the best to live by totally. But it is hard to live without worries from one day to the next. I guess the best way to go about it is to accept what you can't change and instead of letting it bring a person down they should be happy with what they have. It can be worse. Alot of homeless people can tell you that.grab hold what you have and appreciate that you have it and not complain about what you don't have or can't do.. Me, I do complain at times when bills seem to be choking us..but we always finding a way some how. Might be late on most occasions. But late is better then not at all and not living in a cave.

These might sound too idealistic and its difficult to practise these for our lives are dependent and intertwined with others, we live in a society after all. Having said this, the difference between practising and nor practising these is only a small bridge. we just need that kind of orientation and start believing in these. Like thoughts beget more like thoughts and i firmly believe in that. My life has changed enormously after i started to look at it differently. The bird's eye view is an amazing thing - it helps you correct yourselves. The 5 simple rules that you have mentioned really comes down to one simple rule EXPECT LESS and DO NOT expect in return. This helps me with all other negative traits like hatreds, jealousy, pride and conditional living.

Hi James! It is always easier said than done, this way goes the dictum. Preaching is one thing and practising the same is other. We live in a competitive world and we behave according to certain circumstances and what we see all around us. Your statement is right, it is not that simple, as it looks, to follow the rules in real life.

I would like to add to this: Accept yourseld the way you are and love it! Live life as if there were no tomorrow Dream productively and make your dreams become real or imagine living a good life and take baby steps towards it. View LIfe as Film Reel and Laugh yourself to a better life.

That covers it all! I agree! I have tried that recipe for happiness.. and it really does work! until some jackazz messes things up while you are trying to be giving and loving.. then you expect the azz to apologize while you try not expect anything... but then they don't... and ya realize you were expecting when you shouldn't have and broke one of the rules.. and happiness flees! all because some azz messed it all up! lol!

I am constantly working on the one about simplifying my life. Since I suffer from depression era syndrome by proxy I have a tendency to pile up stuff. I have finally come to the conclusion that less is more so I am fighting the urge to stop at every yard sale I see.

I am appreciate with you at your last three comments strongly.. But if you stay all time far from your worries that is a -ve thinking, because you can not fulfill your job properly... If you do not heart from other than you can not understand who loves you cares you most... I think you will be the happiest person if you stay with your partner happily, if you get all mentally satisfaction and mentally help from your partner then you reach your most success..

Those five things hit the mark completely.. Imagine in your own life, how hard it would be to complete and live by all five each and every day... But I know that if you would succeed with even 3 out of the five your life should be better.. Life is as good as we allow it to be.. Some times good things happen to us but we are so busy looking for the negative things in like it overshadows the good things..

I am with the first rule as I never harbor any hatred in my mind.I just cannot carry that extra burden in my voyage. Yes freeing your mind from worries is right.But it needs some working out to pay your taxes to free your mind from worries unless you want to be prosecuted happily. Live simply.I think that the real meaning is to have a simple heart and not living like a tramp because I like to dress smartly. Give more.Sure thing when I get more. Expect less.No way in this recession.I don't want to become extinct by expecting little.

Hello James mate...how're ya going? I try to live by these rules but like you find that freeing my mind from worry is a bit idealistic...it's always going to be a work in progress isn't it? We need to deal with those things that concern us but we will never be total free of things that worry and concern us. I'm also having a bit of a quiz with "give more"...more than what? Some people give all the time and some take all the time. Fortunately there is a lot of middle ground but to "give more" means a constant and if you do so you will run the risk perhaps ofhaving nothing left or not much at any rate. I would add the golden rule and also "love, tolerate and respect your brother". Now that one IS idealistic!

What the Buddha discovered when he became enlightened under the Bodhi tree was that the source of all suffering is desire. If we want nothing, we can live with our minds focused in the here and now. This will produce trust that all will be OK for us. As a Zen practitioner, I can see the wisdom of the Buddha's words, but putting it into practice is easier said than done. I don't think it is anything to do with the modern world, because mankind has always hankered after some desire or other. To want happiness is sort of acknowledging that we are not happy. To be present here in the moment, is to experience things as they are. We don't see nature unhappy or happy. Nature is just nature. Every living thing except human beings seem to live with this trust. If there is trust, there is not going to be any neediness. If there is a shortage of anything, we can just work to address the problem. We don't need to be miserable unless we resist what is so here and now. In Zen I have discovered that I can forgive self and others, as I become aware where I hold blame. Much of this holding is within my subconscious, held there from may past - (karma). If I can constantly hold my mind focused on the here and now, there is not going to be any worry. I can only do my best with mindfulness (total mental focus) and the future, when it comes will take care of itself. The future is really an illusion and to worry about it, crazy - but we don't tend to see that! Living here and now, attending to what needs to be done, is living simply. Some people may find it boring. But that is the challenge of Zen - transcend boredom and other negative emotions. I give what I can when I have taken care of self and family, and living with the mind focused here and now and whatever is in front of me reduces my expectations. As a Zen practitioner these are the things I aspire to do. It is not an easy task, but in Zen we say that it is the journey, not the destination that matters. All great spiritual teachers have taught this - but we are slow in learning their message. I believe we are born with these challenges. Neither path is right or wrong, but our evolution is moving (slowly) towards ultimate truth - that we are the universe and the universe is us - no separation. The truth will set us free. True happiness is a lot more than just the absence of sadness. - Derek

To be honest, I am not satisfied with common life! Lots of people get jealous of me since they think I have everything that is supposed to be fulfiling in their opinions!However, I have some dreams that they will never ever understand! 1 I don't hate anybody so much! If I really hate someone who is deathly bad, I have a way to deal with it! I may write to him or her snapping at the wretch without a bad word! However, I don't quarrel with people face to face! Quarreling in public is so inglorious. I don't know why lots of people would like to do that shame thing especially in super markets. haha 2 I do worry once for a while! Usually, the worry thing didn't last for more than an hour! It is impossible for me to free my mind for all the worries! It is just the worry that keep me going! I always tell you tell I think I am a clever person! So, I think my life is bigger than that! It's a pity that I just live a life like some other agemates! 3 I like more complicated life! If I choose to live simply, I have already become a soccer mom! Oh my gosh! I can't bear myself casting away my youth like that. 4 I would like to give more to these people who deserve that kindness! haha 5 I expecct more! I am not these people who reach for what is beyond their grasp. I want the future to be better than the past. I don't want it contaminated by some mistakes and errors with which history is filled. We should all be concerned about the future because that is where we will spend the remainder of our lives. reach for what is beyond one's grasp. The whole life's work depends on a good start in youth. Don't forget the beautiful flower blooms in Spring. haha

No it is not that simple. Of course if you reduce your expectations far enough you might be happy but even if you expect nothing that does not mean you will be happy. I find its a bit like the turn the other cheek idea. If someone hits me I am supposed to just walk away. Well there are a lot of battered wives and husbands who find that really hard to do and it is even harder if they get knocked unconscious. These sorts of rules only work when everyone does them. If only one person tries to do this in an environment where everyone else is doing the opposite then they will not be happy at all. There are some things that are easy to say and hard to do. The first two fall into that category. Still if you can achieve both of them you might be on the way to being happy. You might also be on the way to getting yourself killed but that depends on where you live. After all there are lots of people who live very simply because they are poor, they expect nothing because they know they will not get anything, they do not give because they have nothing to give. I do not know if they they manage the first two. After all they might well hate where they live and the conditions they live in and they probably constantly worry about how they are going to survive and if they are going to get enough to eat. Happiness is a great state but is transient and environment can drag you down so much that there is nothing to be happy about. I have also found that years of broken sleep can destroy your ability to be happy, so can constant pain. I used to be very happy but now I find that I am becoming increasingly irritable and snappy, I have lost my tolerance of so many things and the only cause is that I have not slept well for 3 years now. Some days are better than others, but if I have a week of really bad sleep then I snap at the tiniest thing. Then I get upset with myself for getting upset and this can spiral down into situational depression. A reasonable nights sleep can alleviate this. I know there are other people like me but for me it is especially hard. I worked really hard to remove all my negativity, I learned to be so positive, I was so peaceful that nothing ruffled me at all. Now I find that I no longer have any patience with myself. I know that one possible solution is sleeping pills but they are addictive and dangerous and I am not sure they work so I prefer to avoid them. A cure would be nice but I doubt anyone is even looking for one. lol. They tell me I will mostly recover but they do not know when. They say it can last up to 10 years or more. I have deteriorated to the point now that I am on a disability pension and you have to be really sick to get them these days.

They would really make one happy. But you have to know when to use which rule. If you travel by train on a busy morning where its a fight to get into the train, then you cannot, "Free your mind from hatred". But in cooler times, if you do so, it'll really help you. So goes for the other rules too. Thats what I think. They won't make your lif perfect but you'll start loving yourself thats for sure. Take care buddy, beautiful discussion...