What Makes People Happy
Happiness has for the longest time been known to be the essential ingredient to a life of health full of vitality and mental health and well-being. The Pursuit of Happiness is so embedded in the American mindset that it is an inherent part of The Declaration of Independence. Happiness is complicated and includes a whole spectrum of positive emotions with varied intensity from feeling content to being overjoyed. Reaching and attaining goals, whether short-term or long-term, leads to happiness, spending time with loved ones such as close family members and friends, and participating in enjoyable activities from playing sports to playing a musical instrument. Any type of enriching experience can boost your happiness by several levels.
Happiness is also known more formally as subjective well-being, which is measured qualitatively rather than quantitatively with words such as feelings. Happiness is therefore measured by how a person feels about their life, and to what degree they are satisfied with it. This requires a level of self-evaluation and introspection. Also, the awareness of a whole range of positive and negative emotions is an indication of a person’s affective state of mind or feeling state. The sense of meaning and purpose they have in their life can be described as an eudaimonic state. Happiness therefore is an overall sense that there is meaning and purpose in one’s life and that there is an overall feeling of contentment.
There are social and cultural factors to happiness as well. Thos who come from more collectivist cultures and societies such as Africa and Asia value the identity of the group over the individual placing importance on harmony within the group and contentment and cooperation. Those who come from typically more western individualistic groups value the identity of the individual over the well-being of the group as a whole. In Individualistic groups, feelings such as being overjoyed and exuberance are valued more highly. Happiness is also socially contagious with happier people positively affecting the happiness levels of those around them positively impacting group dynamics.
Happiness can motivate us to achieve some goals in life, get through some hurdles, and overcome roadblocks. Happiness can shield us from the effects of stress, as well as enhance social bonding in relationships. Happiness is also good for one’s mental and physical health improving one’s immune system and preventing different diseases leading to an overall state of ease, the opposite of dis-ease.
Being overly happy apparently has possible negative consequences. It appears that people that were reportedly more cheerful growing up tend to later engage in riskier behaviors such as excessive alcohol use, drug use, sexual promiscuity and binge-eating and have a higher risk of mortality. Cheerful children according to Friedman, 1993 had a higher tendency of neglecting any possible warning signs and were bolder in their risk-taking behaviors. Happiness then, like many things, is best in moderation.
According to Schulz and Waldinger in The Good Life, warm relationships are of the utmost importance to overall happiness. Therefore, it appears that working on improving your relationships through a process such as individual or couples therapy leads to an improvement in overall levels of happiness. The happiness factor that is common to all cultures includes being in good health and having a healthy life expectancy. Also important is the ability to make important changes in one’s life. Higher levels of trust, whether in your relationships or towards people in positions to affect any type of change, such as the government, also can enhance feelings of happiness. According to Waldinger, a common practice that leads to improved happiness is the ability to be generous.
Generosity, across cultures, is the leading characteristic essential to overall feelings of well-being and happiness levels. Economic security also improves happiness as being anxious about food and housing or essentials such as groceries can definitely put a damper on happiness. According to a 2010 study, having more money beyond a certain amount such as 75 000 dollars does not necessarily improve happiness. Having healthy and strong relationships has the most positive effect on overall levels of happiness and well-being.
According to a study in 2005 dating back to the first study in 1938, the most important indicator of The Good Life and overall levels of happiness are higher levels of social connectedness. In summary, the study suggests that the more socially connected you are, the happier you are and the more likely you are to live a long and meaningful life. According to Waldinger, healthy relationships also help buffer the effects of stress. Those who are lonely or isolated are in a constant state of fight or flight mode with increased levels of cortisol in their systems and higher levels of inflammation in their systems leading to a wearing down of the body and consequently, more diseases or diagnoses.
Happiness can be described in two main ways. The feeling of being happy in the here and now such as in the hedonic state and in the eudaimonic state as in the feeling that life holds meaning and purpose. This derives from the Aristotelian paradigm that life is basically good. In a nutshell, focusing on improving your relationships with a healthy dose of generosity will improve your overall levels of happiness. Challenging your thoughts and reframing them can also help enhance happiness. If you’ve tried on your own to develop a more positive mindset and are having a hard time with the new concept, don’t hesitate to reach out for a therapy session for some guidance. Your mental health and well-being will thank you for it.
Happiness can shield us from the effects of stress
