Happy or Anxious: A Choice in Life

Yusuf Achmad

When faced with a choice between feeling happy or anxious, most people would naturally choose happiness. This is because happiness is often associated with good physical and mental health, and one of the factors is diet. Someone who follows a good and proper diet tends to feel healthier and more energetic, which ultimately brings about happiness. Conversely, an irregular and unhealthy diet can lead to anxiety and even result in minor or severe illnesses.

The concept that life should be filled with happiness and joy is something we often hear. This statement is rarely accompanied by an encouragement to feel anxious in life. However, for writers and artists, anxiety can be an important source of inspiration. It is from this anxiety that great and monumental works are often created. In fact, there is a study that suggests that people who feel anxious tend to have a longer life expectancy compared to those who do not (although this study needs further verification).

For someone who feels anxious about their deeds because they feel they have not maximized their worship, this anxiety can motivate them to keep improving. After improving their worship, this anxiety may shift to their actions in their social environment, and they will continue to strive to become better individuals.

It is this kind of anxiety that we should have if we choose to feel anxious. Positive anxiety, not excessive and not negative in connotation. It is not the anxiety of unmet material needs. It is not the anxiety to improve social-economic status or achieve worldly ambitions alone. It is the kind of healthy anxiety that drives us to keep improving ourselves and our surroundings, while still experiencing happiness in life.