Our Idea of Happiness Has Changed

Our Idea of Happiness Has Changed as Our World had been turned upside down. Consider how many things are the same today as 3 years ago. What is on your mind you never thought of pre-pandemic? Dramatic change has happened so quickly that compared to the past you would think you time traveled.

Did the pandemic cause lock downs, supply chain shortages, infectious disease risk from going out, dramatic weather changes, a total change in how we work, the end of the commute, spending more time with the family, everyone spending more time with screens, meeting everyone on Zoom?

Certainly a number of these items can be attributed to the Virus and then so many changes occurred as a result and other coincidental changes made it all one big boulder of change rolling down the mountain. So what do we think about happiness now? Our happiness is certainly a function of the dilemmas we can escape and having gratitude for that.

What Gives Us Gratitude Now?

My happiness has a lot to do about things I never thought of and even more about things that had partial importance. For one, I am really happy each week I don’t catch the Virus. My life has certainly changed focus now that I don’t do anything where I will be in closed room with lots of other people. I even avoid social events like drinking at pubs or dining at indoor restaurants without open windows and would not consider the movies and am a little uneasy about flying.

Now I certainly have a focus on being healthy and a strong immunity. Now that health is a more central factor than when I stayed healthy for work life balance, I need to stay healthy to stay alive. A little different. I seek the outdoor activities and no longer visit the gym 3 times a week.

How have family and friend relationships changed? Fewer relationships have become more important. We have our trusted circles and those circles take it upon themselves to be safe for our benefit and the benefit of their circles. We may get together less often and those gatherings have a lot more significance and value.

How has work changed? How has it not changed? The global conditions have effected most industries. Business has had to evaluate how it stays healthy, how it continues to serve, how it remains viable, how it can maintain its work force, how it has to change its budget for new demands, how it deals with shortages of supplies or labor. We also have a new focus on equality, sexual parity, and vaccinations.

Should happiness now be gratitude? Many are happy they are employed. Most are happy if they are healthy. Most are happy if their families are surviving and better if they are thriving. We are still focused on financial security, but the short term has become as important as the long term.

What about job satisfaction? With the increasing demand for experienced workers, many are more valuable than before and can dictate their working conditions. More people say they will quit their jobs and do quit if they don’t like their work demands. New skills are required that are being transformed from our old style of personal contact.

What does life mean to us now? Does who we are and why we are here change? I think it is shifting. I used to take a longer view of these issues but now I seem to be condensing them into how I thrive in this present environment. I need to be different in many ways and I do evaluate if my behavior now is who I am. Am I able to live in the style that defines me and makes my life meaningful? What do I need for that?

I think the answers may keep changing as I have to adapt to the faster changes being imposed on us.

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