Social Question

Zen_Again's avatar

Happy or sad - what is your emotional default?

Asked by Zen_Again (9931points) January 13th, 2010

If you are sad by default, are you content to be that way – or are you working on it?

If you are happy – how do you do it?

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39 Answers

gailcalled's avatar

I choose being content. That is doable.

tinyfaery's avatar

:(

It’s just who I am. But that sadness comes with a twisted sense of humor, so I find a way to laugh in most situations.

Darwin's avatar

I tend towards sadness, but I have been working on happy, or at least content, for many years now.

DeanV's avatar

Neither. I fit somewhere in the middle, but am more likely to tend towards the sad. I usually start neutral in the morning and by the afternoon that’s changed.

Zen_Again's avatar

@dverhey Lovely imagery and prose – starting in neutral – loves it!

gailcalled's avatar

Beverly Sills, whose nickname was “Bubbles,” had the tragic irony of two children, one of whom was deaf and the other a Down’s child. Sills had one of the most magical lyrical soprano voices, of course. It was she who first said, ” I can’t say that I am happy, but I am content.”

Jude's avatar

It takes quite a bit to bring me down (and keep me there—for awhile, at least). I’m generally a happy person. Actually, some random hippie fellow (who was with his family in a cafe), came up to me after they were done their meal and said (with a smile) “I can tell that you’re a genuinely happy person”, and then walked away.

Zen_Again's avatar

@jmah A woman who “adopted” me for a spell back in my teens once told me that I had a smiling face – that the corners of my lips were always turned up – and that my default face was a happy one.

I think I smile more than I frown, but my eyes will let you know whether I am actually happy or not.

SuperMouse's avatar

Happy. I tend to have a relentlessly upbeat attitude sometimes it drives people crazy.

sjmc1989's avatar

I smile through tears thats just who I am!

filmfann's avatar

my emotional default is very serious.
It’s the crazy things I see that make me silly.

J0E's avatar

Happy is my default setting.

DominicX's avatar

I am either happy or neutral by default, but most often happy. I am only sad if someone makes me sad. Today I was pretty much angry and apathetic all day until the end (my bike seat got stolen, had to walk everywhere. Pretty much ruined my day). But unless something like that happens, then I am happy by default. I’m not sure how I do it, it just is and it’s always been that way.

knitfroggy's avatar

I’m a happy person. I don’t know how I “do it”, that’s just how I am. It really pisses me off tho if I do happen to be in a crappy mood and everyone asks me “What’s wrong?” because, maybe there is nothing wrong, I’m just crappy.

TexasDude's avatar

Does nostalgic and dreamy count? Because that’s how I feel more than anything at any given time.

daemonelson's avatar

What I think of as a ‘comfortable rut’. I’m about neutral, but I’ve been here for a long time, and I rather like the familiar terrain.

Facade's avatar

I’m not sure really. I’m leaning more toward happy because I’m happy until something pisses me off instead of being pissed off until something makes me happy. Makes sense? That said, it doesn’t take much to put a damper on my mood. It [my mood] is pretty fickle.

faye's avatar

I think I am in ‘wait’ mode. There have been so many unpleasant changes in my world the last two years that I have somewhat switched off. But I love to laugh and joke around so I look for that in most everything I do.

ItalianPrincess1217's avatar

I’m neither. To other people I might come off as sad but that’s just because I don’t walk around with a big smile plastered on my face all the time. I would describe myself as “serious”.

IBERnineD's avatar

My default is happy. So much so that my friends make fun of me and say I vomit rainbows, sneeze butterflies, and cry glitter. But hey I guess it could be worse…

rooeytoo's avatar

I seem to be on the move a lot so I don’t think about it too much. So I would say I am happy to neutral most of the time. But when I do get unhappy, look out, I am hell on wheels!

What about you Zen man, I don’t see where you answered your question directly???

Leo's avatar

Happy mostly, although I’m told it doesn’t show.

kyanblue's avatar

I was born with rose-coloured contacts.
And if I am in a bad mood, a few hours with friends, a good book, or food usually cheer me up. I think it’s because I don’t take things as seriously as I should, so my failures and shortcomings are usually ignored. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword—I’m always happy but I have no motivation whatsoever to fix things.

Dr_Lawrence's avatar

My default emotional state is balanced.

Significant events in my life may shift me off my balance a bit,
but my coping skills enable me to cope adequately with those events
and I am able to restore my balance.

In my balanced state, I find joy in the simple things like healthy relationships, living in harmony with my environment and others around me.

Am I happy and smiling all the time?
No, but I am generally content and I always have goals and desires to energize me.

hungryhungryhortence's avatar

I got tired of being sad as a default so I tried some new thinking and it has worked well. Each day I try to make something worth living that day for. I say if the day was not bad or terrible then it was good. Excellent days are a blessing, all else is my default now.

SABOTEUR's avatar

Happy.

Sad requires too much sustained effort.

Siren's avatar

Happy. I hate being sad, so keep working on getting rid of that emotion until it is gone (or the next time I get it). Happy is healthier just my opinion

Haleth's avatar

Happy being sad, if that makes any sense. I have a very active imagination, and I get an aesthetic pleasure out of things that would seem sad to most people, like taking a solitary walk in November or sitting on a rooftop at night. I tend to surround myself with the trappings of sadness, but I find sad/ wistful things very beautiful in a way, and that makes me happy. This mental state makes me feel recharged and creative.

Zen_Again's avatar

@rooeytoo Hey bud, you missed it – scroll up for my reply.

rooeytoo's avatar

Awwwwwww Zennie, I saw that reply, but you waffled, you said your default face was a happy one, then you said you smile more than you frown but your eyes tell the true story.

I can’t see your eyes!

Sophief's avatar

I am sad by default. I try to be happy but it’s not that easy. When I’m alone how can I be anything but sad? When I’m not alone, I’m geedy about my happiness, I just want more.

OpryLeigh's avatar

Neither, my emotional default is anxious!

Zen_Again's avatar

@rooeytoo Actually, I am bi-polar – and though usually happy, when I am down I am down. I would say 70 – 30 in favour of happy. But my face is usually smiling, regardless.

Dr_Lawrence's avatar

@Dibley Each of us must learn to find joy in everyday things and in our accomplishments, both big and little ones. Life is what you put into it. Special relationships may enhance our lives but if they are our lives, then we are always teetering on the edge of a cliff. Plant your pretty feet solidly in your own activities and your own goals. It will enhance both your life and your special relationships.

rooeytoo's avatar

@Zen_Again – those are pretty good odds! ga

Strauss's avatar

:oD
Always Happy!

downtide's avatar

I am naturally happy. But it’s taken many years to get to that point.

shpadoinkle_sue's avatar

Uusally freaked, but other than that probably happy. Kind of like a blissful ignorance.

gailcalled's avatar

Cheerful and generally contented. No delirious joy of my youth but just fine as is.

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