Daily Happiness

What is the difference between a Good Day and a Bad Day? Do emotions always trump reason? How long does it take the average person to rationally work their way back from a garden-variety emotional spike (positive or negative) in their daily routine? How does outward behavior impact inner feelings and thoughts? How does inner behavior (such as spirituality, meditation, mental exercise) impact outward expression of feelings and thoughts? And how much should physical well-being or physical comfort impact one's judgment of a Good Day or a Bad Day?

I will come back to each of these questions individually, but would like to preface that discussion with the following thought: Ideally a Good Day should be measured as a microcosm of a Good Life. At the end of each day I should be able to look back and say, "this day has been a fair reflection of how I want to remember my Life, on the last day of my Life."

  1. What is the difference between a Good Day and a Bad Day? - I believe this varies from day to day depending on circumstances, daily goals, and curveballs. I also believe that there is some credence to the claim that if one survives, it is a good day. Most of my days fall somewhere between survival and the 'Ideal Microcosm' described in the previous paragraph. Seldom (if ever) do I have an 'Ideal' day, and though some days may feel like I've barely survived, from a rational perspective, there are (also) very few of these days. It is a subjective call. There is no scorecard, and if there were, there would be considerable disagreement on the rules of scoring; and, the act of keeping score (I believe) would alter one's perspective and definition of good and bad by attempting to objectify subjectivism. I think the difference between a Good Day and a Bad Day should be individually subjective.
  2. Do emotions always trump reason? - Yes. Even amongst the staunchest of stoics there is at least a momentary spike associated with an emotion. I don't believe emotions can be entirely eradicated. They can be subdued, hog tied, gagged, hidden, and controlled, but each emotion, when it appears, is (at least in part) new and not simply a formerly imprisoned escapee, therefore it must be acknowledged.
  3. How long does it take a person to rationally work their way back from a garden-variety emotional spike (positive or negative) in their daily routine? - I can only answer this for myself as it definitely varies from person to person. For a typical positive spike, it generally takes 46.7 seconds for me to rationally fall back to normal. For a typical negative spike it generally takes 38 minutes and 18 seconds for reason to regain control. That last number is improving by the way, from an all time high of 6 hours 51 minutes 28 seconds in the Summer of '91. And these are typical, garden-variety emotions; you can imagine the impact of strong emotions. (The numbers of course are intended somewhat facetiously, to exaggerate a truthful example.)
  4. How does outward behavior impact inner feelings and thoughts? - I believe for most people in most situations outward behavior impacts inner feelings and thoughts accordingly; i.e. if it is positive behavior it encourages / enhances positive feelings and thoughts, and vice versa. There is one caveat or requirement - the behavior must be a sincere or truthful effort. In other words, if one is sincerely looking to improve positivity, or truthfully looking to express disapproval or criticism (constructive or otherwise) or negative emotion such as anger, then said behavior will impact thoughts and feelings in said manner. However, if one is not sincere or truthful and is exhibiting outward behavior that is a lie, then resentment comes into play and a negative impact is likely felt; (I would think this more often occurs with behavior that is intended to be construed as positive; for example towards an authority figure - behavior that is employed to stay out of trouble or stay in someone's good graces).
  5. How does purposeful inner behavior (such as spirituality, meditation, mental exercise) impact outward expression of feelings and thoughts? - I believe purposeful inner behavior will lead to growth. I believe growth will lead to more meaningful, productive, efficient expression (in words and actions). Much like a funnel, purposeful inner behavior will direct and focus swirling thoughts and feelings, allowing for a coherent, defined output. I believe inner work is always positive. The output, if it goes against the maxim DO NO HARM, can be negative or destructive. I would like to think that most of us will discover this in the process and choose to DO NO HARM.
  6. How much should physical well-being or physical comfort impact one's judgment of a Good Day or a Bad Day? - Note that I'm asking how much it 'should' impact one's judgment. From personal experience I can say it does have an impact - but should it? The physical aspect of our humanity is unavoidable and will impact (at the end of the day) one's outlook and therefore will likely impact one's judgment of good or bad. I believe one should attempt to rationally discount / subtract physical comfort and/or well-being from a judgment of a Good or Bad day. This is difficult at the end of the day; easier to do the following day or later in the week. I go back to Epictetus (55 - 135 CE) who said that nothing can truly be taken from us. He maintained that inner peace begins when we stop saying "I have lost it" and instead say "it has been returned to where it came from." This of course includes one's physical being and physical well-being, which strengthens the argument that physical well-being or physical comfort should NOT impact one's judgment of a Good Day or a Bad Day. On the last day of one's Life, physical comfort and well-being will not be a consideration for judging a Good Life, and if my goal is that each day be a microcosm of that Good Life, then (as Epictetus has stated) the things of this world should not come into play.

Bottom Line - I believe if at the end of each day I review it rationally and subjectively, appreciate the fact that I have survived, and make plans to live another Lifetime tomorrow, then perhaps I will consistently close the gap on (unattainable) 'Ideals' such as Truth, Wisdom, Happiness, Inner Peace, Exoteric Goodness, and 'The Good Day' that will perfectly reflect how I would like to live the entire span of all my days. Each day I am given, is a new opportunity.

Have A Good Day!

This entry was posted in Philosophy. Bookmark the permalink.

One Response to Daily Happiness

  1. Pingback: Composing Happiness | hopelesshappiness.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *