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Through life experience I found to believe to be happy you must be deserving of it and earn it. I do not believe everyone is entitled to be happy and deserves it just by existing. So of course I reject the teachings of things like Hedonism and Egotism.
But is there a philosophy that teaches you must work towards happiness and be worthy of it? The closest thing I am seeing is from a quick search is Eudaimonia. All I've done is glance at it on the wiki and I would say it sounds pretty close to what I am thinking of.
Al though if it helps maybe another way I could explain it is when someone has a good moral conscious then they are naturally happy. It's very easy to have the belief you deserve a reward for doing good but life does not work that way. I believe it is more like when you act on what's right and logical, rather than following your heart, slowly but surely life becomes more easy going and simple, and to me that is a form of happiness. Not being bothered by the feelings of shame, guilt, and stress from forcing things to go your way just for the reason "I did good so I deserve this"
Another thought I have is maybe I am naturally viewing the world as God intended? I am Christian but I don't practice it like I should be doing but I do remember the teaching that you will will find happiness through God. I also remember some people teaching that people can see God in work through observing everyday life so I wonder if that's what I am experiencing, is it the possibly my personal life view isn't a philosophy but simply me seeing yes there is a God and what he teaches is true?
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Is there a philosophy about earning happiness?
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Reply by sookie
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hi there, you might be interested in stoicism if you've been reading about eudaimonia. eudaimonia is the state of being that stoics believe is achievable through living virtuously. i would say that eudaimonia is less about "choosing to do the right thing despite temptation" aka "earning happiness" but more so about achieving a state of divinity/happiness through becoming truly virtuous (doing the right thing without conflict) which sort of sounds like what you're describing your personal philosophy to be. it's important to note that in the stoic school of thought the "right" thing isn't always aligned with how altruism is viewed in the modern world but instead about using reason and denouncing passion (excessive emotion), which is something you also touched on.
stoicism is a really interesting philosophy and maybe you might find what you're looking for there? i recommend reading aurelius's meditations and seneca's letters from a stoic if it's something you want to look more into.
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Reply by Seth
posted
As a fellow Christian I can tell you that we aren't always deserving of happiness, but that shouldn't stop anyone from finding joy in day to day life. To understand that everything will be fine in the end, that we will all not just be at peace but be jubilus in the great hereafter with our brothers and sisters, is of great comfort - and merely imagining it has driven me to tears of joy on many occasions. As for philosophy? Here's a tidbit from King Solomon.
Ecclesiastes 1:18
"For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow."
In short, ignorance is bliss. There's a finite amount of information that the common man needs to know - and sometimes it's best to let sleeping dogs lie. Adam and Eve were happy and prosperous in The Garden until they ate the fruit and gained the forbidden knowledge. I think the philosophy to being happy - especially in a day and age where we're all bombarded with information (good and bad, right and wrong) 24/7 from all angles is that it's easier to be happy when you just don't see it.