I just finished watching it. Here is the link to the happiness quiz.

Oprah's Happiness Quiz

I scored a 33 out of 35! Taking the quiz really helps really define what happiness is. I really feel like I have all I have ever wanted in life and I am so incredibly grateful for what I have.

In 1994 I was engaged to be married to a Pastor. Within 1 month, my close friend committed suicide and my Pastor fiance cheated on me and left me for someone else. I was DEVASTATED. During that time I wrote out some goals for my life. They included, getting married to a faithful man who loves me and lives with integrity, having children and one day owning a house. I am now living the life of my dreams.

Taking the test is really eye opening.

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Mom to dd (age 9) and ds (age 11)
blogging daily about purpose and personal identity

I agree money doesn't buy happiness...but I also think it sure does help! I KNOW I'd be just as happy to have my bills paid off now rather than the 10 years it might take...It would be a load of pressure off.

I really like what you say about "destination Addiction" and will be checking out your blog next....I can relate to Missy and Jeannette in so many way in their posts above, I feel I'd be repeating if I puked out my true feelings right now...hmmm..how does one learn to be totally happy in the "now", instead of just waiting for the "when"... I think we may be on a road to discovery here girls....

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I just scored a 15 on that quiz.....

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~Missy~Mommy
Meghan9.Samantha7,Cameron5

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I believe all human emotions - even the ones we consider to be negative - were given to us for a reason.

Dissatisfaction is the human emotion that makes us exam what we're doing and search for ways that we can improve. Even envy is a sign that we're not addressing an underlying desire in our lives.

We have to remember that the desire for self-improvement is what got society to where it is today. A long time ago a Neanderthal wasn't happy with picking wild berries and eating raw meat so they figured out how to farm and cook with fire. In the same way, our own desires to further the quality of our lives and those of our children, drive societal forces that benefit the larger society. For instance, if we're unhappy with our demanding 9-to-5 job, we may decide to quit and start our own business, which grows and we end up hiring other people who need a job. Plus, we leave the job we had vacant for someone else to be hired there.

Along the same lines, we fail ourselves and make it harder to reach our goals unless we have appreciation of our own accomplishments. Unless we can honestly evaluate our starting place, we really don't know what we have to change or even, what we want to keep. I think of so many people I know who fall back to get more education every time they run into a hardship. Well, eventually when you have a double PhD, lack of education isn't really your problem - ya know? For that reason, an appreciation of our own talents, accomplishments, and gifts stops us from chasing after false dreams.

Plus, I believe that a sense of gratitude is the human emotion that is given to us to ward off depression. Having gratitude is a way of telling ourselves that we are worthy of the gifts that have been bestowed upon us. No one achieves their accomplishments alone. We all stand on the shoulders of giants. For that reason, gratitude is a way of recognizing those that come before us and a way to gain a better sense of where we are in society.

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

My blogs:
Oh!: http://oh-cookie.blogspot.com/
The Foundation Club: http://thefoundationclub.blogspot.com/
12 Months to a Homemade Christmas: http://12monthstoahomemadechristmas.blogspot.com/
Experiences, Not Things: http://experiencesnotthings.blogspot.com/

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I have to agree that money doesn't buy happiness--although when I was very poor there were times I thouhgt it would be nice to have more money--now i am married again and I don't have to worry about things being paid --I am able to buy for my kids and we have things--THINGS--but not time. When we lived without --sometimes even without utilities we had time we did things together had fun--things were slower --easier. Now I have a husband who works alot and buys us most things we want but we don't spend time together doing things--he doesn't really enjoy what I enjoy--doesn't talk to me--I just don't know which is better and which isn't, we are not rich by far but there is no worry like I had before. I guess you are never satisfied.

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I used to suffer from Destination Addiction. I don't remember when or why but at some point I stopped. I think it was a gradual release of those things and accepting what i have and where I am at in life. I am so much happier for it. Sure I'd like to get my kitchen painting done, I would like to lose 80 or so lbs, and a few other things but until then i am not going to put off my happiness or anything else in my life.