In Control of Happiness?

When I logged on to make my posting, I was pleased to find that you had also posted about the same topic I was planning on discussing. I was happy to read your viewpoints. I agree with your point that we may not be able to completely change a given situation, but we may attempt to make it more positive or negative. Having an internal locus of control, feeling that we determine our own emotions, behavior, fate, etc, is important in order to help maintain a healthy well-being. If a person has an external locus of control and feels like they have no say in his or her life, and makes no effort to try to alter a situation, he or she will likely not be a mentally or physically healthy person. I'm a strong believer in the fact that we are in control of our own lives and happiness. Perhaps this is just my personality, seeing as I was one of the few people in class on Thursday who always felt "in control while writing", but I think that if a miserable person makes the effort to try to be happy, she will succeed if she truly puts great effort into the process. As I wrote about in my second webpaper, people may be controlled by cultural and environmental memes; however, I think that people are in control of their own emotional well-being. To me it seems too pessimistic to say that we are unable to manage our own levels of happiness and other emotions.

Last Thursday I attended a panel about neglected tropical diseases. Two doctors and two nurses spoke about their experiences treating and helping people affected by these NTDs. The nurses presented a powerful narrative from the perspective of a woman in an area where NTDs are prevalent. They stated, “I am lucky, I was able to go to school as a child when so many others were unable; I am happy, I am not infected with any diseases that prevent me from walking the many miles to get water for my family; I am happy, my husband gave me money for seeds so I can sell produce in the market and feed my children.” This panel helped to reiterate to me that we truly do create our own happiness. Relative to the other women who were infected with terrible neglected tropical diseases that prevented them from doing their work or caused them excruciating pain, the uninfected women were happy and grateful.  To most people, the lives of these uninfected women would seem terrible, yet they are able to remain positive and appreciative.