What Is Happiness?

How do you define happiness?

I think that happiness is the key to everything, because when you think happy, you're much more likely to get what you want. Then you're thinking of ways how you could work towards your goal. I think that I've learned from cheer that we don't always win first place, but when we're thinking of how we can get to first place, then we win.

Does everyone have the ability to be happy?

Everybody can be happy because being happy is something you choose to do. If you choose to be happy you can be happy, and it's not hard to be happy. It's something that, just wake up every morning and say, "I'm going to have a good day", you can be a happy person.

Who are the happiest people?

The happiest people enjoy life, no matter what happens. They're always just having fun. No matter what comes at them, they're always having fun with it.

Do you believe that the average person is happy or unhappy?

Well in the US, I think that the average person is unhappy, because we see stuff and then we want it and we want it and then we get it. And then we see something else and we want to have that. So we're not generally happy all the time. I think that in other places, we have so much more than they do, so they're just happy with what they have and they'll take care of that. But when we see something, we want it and we get it. And then we see something else and then we want it really badly, and then we try to get it. And then when we get it, we see something else and it goes on and on and on. So you have to be happy with what you have.

What part does money play in happiness?

I've learned that you can't always have everything that you want. You can't do things without money, so you have to learn how to be happy with what you have and just stick with that.

What part does family play in happiness?

Family is, I think, pretty important to happiness. Because without my family I couldn't do things that I really loved and I couldn't be with people that I really love so I don't think I could be. I could be happy, but not as much without my family. Well because, maybe it's not just family. It's someone that you know is always there or someone that you can count on. Someone you can depend on. That makes me happy to know that I have people like that.

What part does spirituality play in happiness?

For different people I think it depends. Some people don't celebrate anything, they don't have a religion, but they're still happy. For me, religion plays a really big part in happiness. I'm Mormon, and I'm trying to read the scriptures and the Bible. Knowing things from there makes me happy, and it makes me have faith that I know I'll be OK.

What part does work play in happiness?

I know that going to work makes my dad happy because he always comes home with story to tell and people that is talking about and all the things that he does and learned at works, so I know that makes him really happy. I think it's typical because what people enjoy there jobs? So it makes them happy, getting to go there and learned new staff. You should do something that you like, so that you go everyday and learned new things. And that makes me and my dad always happy.

What part does helping others play in happiness?

Well, making other people happy is always fun, because when you're doing something that is fun, if you're good at it, you make people happy. So just being with my friends during competitions, we get to smile at people, we're laughing, we're running around, we're doing gymnastics, so it's a lot of fun.