What Do You Need To Be Happy?

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised

him most about humanity, answered “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in

order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result begin that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is

never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.” – Dalai

Lama

What do you really need to be happy in life? I mean holy shit, the list is endless. Some people say, “Oh, to be really happy you need money.” Some people say you need millions of dollars while others say you don’t need much at all. Some people say, “You need love and sex.” Some people say, “You need recognition and accomplishments.” Some say, “You need power.” It goes on and on, and there seems to be as many opinions as there are people.

I’m sure everything I’ve listed previously has its place in a happy life. 

However, what is the foundation to happiness in life? I mean what sets the ground work, the base structure to everything else you do in life? Is it money? Is it sex? Does anyone know?

Well, I actually have the answer……………………………………………….It’s pretty simple.

It’s your health. Yep, your health is the foundation to all happiness in life. It’s simply a fact. It’s not even my opinion. 

Without your health, you don’t have shit, and nothing really matters. Health is wealth. Just think about it. When you’re really sick, like from the flu or something, nothing in the world matters outside of getting better.

Not your car. Not your house. Not your money. And for you sex freaks out there, not even sex matters anymore. Who’s gonna wanna make out with you when you look like a breeding ground for the Black Plague. < that's a period (statement) not a question.

In fact, if the situation arose, you’ll easily trade everything just to get your health back.

I remember when I broke my back in 2003. The pain was so terrible, and so persistent, I would have traded anything in my life just to not have back pain.

My good grades, car, athletic accomplishments meant nothing when I was sick for an entire 6 months in 2006. That was the worst year of my life. In fact, that was my worst academic year ever. It turns out that it's fairly tough to study when you have a pounding headache, and it takes all of your energy just to get up out of bed and eat something. I didn't know until it actually happened, for six months!!

Try to enjoy driving an expensive car while having serious back pain or a serious case of the flu. Can’t really enjoy it that much can you? At least I wouldn’t be able to.

You definitely wont be enjoying an expensive house in retirement, if you don’t make it to retirement.

And most prevalent, if you’re constantly loooooooooooooow on energy and lack vitality towards life, is any day really that enjoyable? I bet not. I bet it’s even tough just to get up in the mornings. That seems to be a task in and of itself.

Unfortunately, the world runs on necessity. People change their behavior, only if they have to.

Here is a illustration of what the hell I’m talking about (Graphic Below). As you can see, health does lay the foundation to happiness. Everything else is built off that foundation. If you’re power hungry, you still need your health to continue to pursue power. If you’re money hungry, you still need your health to pursue money. If you’re all about having lots of sex, well ya, you need your health for that obviously. Don't take my word for it. I've also placed Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid. Dr. Maslow is a a leading Psychologist, and he is respected for his ideas internationally.

As for what’s important after health, well that’s more ambiguous and subjective. That’s where hundreds of books, tied to hundreds of authors, have 104 ideas about what happiness is all about. But no one will argue that health does lay the foundation to the entire structure of happiness.