“In life, the primary goal is uncovering happiness, the secondary goals – achievements – will follow.” From the book Happiness Is by Shawn C. Shea

Time Magazine recently devoted almost an entire issue to “the science of happiness.”  This new science has actually been around for some time, but has found resurgence in the last decade.  Psychology researchers and practitioners have increasingly begun to focus on the positives related to the human condition - after decades of work centered on disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, neurosis, and many others.

The science of happiness is grounded in a field dubbed “Positive Psychology,” or the study of positive emotions and positive traits.  Research in this area has provided increasing evidence that having additional amounts of traits such as optimism and resilience can result in tremendous benefits, including better mental and physical health, longer life spans, and higher levels of life satisfaction, among other worthwhile things.

As you know from reading this column, I’m a really big advocate of building and growing meaningful relationships in both our business and personal lives.  After I discovered how positive relationships contribute to increased levels of happiness, I knew instantly that this would be a topic of value to my readers.

Defining Happiness

Happiness is generally defined as having or showing a state of joy, contentment, pleasure, or satisfaction.  Experts in this field have also defined happiness as our subjective “well-being,” that is, a comprehensive evaluation of how we believe our lives are going.

That last idea is important to remember as we consider our own level of happiness – that’s because:

Others don’t know how happy you are – only you know how happy you truly are.

One of the leading happiness experts, Dr. Martin Seligman, believes that happiness can be broken down into three domains:  pleasure (bodily or “higher” pleasures), engagement (or gratifications), and meaning (or happiness through service).  Through these domains, we are able to experience lives that are pleasant, good, and/or meaningful.

How Happy Are You?

Happiness is not only difficult to define, but it is also not easily measured.  Studies have found that most individuals’ baseline for happiness remains constant over time – moving in the short term with circumstances that may occur in their lives or environment. 

However, Dr. Seligman, and many others in the school of Positive Psychology, believes that people have the ability to increase their levels of happiness, and to keep their happiness at a higher level.

Are you curious to know your own satisfaction with life, or overall state of happiness?  One quick way to estimate your happiness level is to take a test developed by Dr. Edward Diener from the University of Illinois.  To take Dr. Diener’s test visit his site at www.psych.uiuc.edu/~ediener/.  You can also try one of 16 other happiness questionnaires at Dr. Seligman’s site, www.authentichappiness.com.

If you are still not convinced that you want to gauge your level of happiness, here is additional food for thought.

Why Improving Happiness Levels Matters

Happiness experts have learned that most people are happy the majority of the time (with the exception of people that live in the most dire of circumstances).  There have also been studies* that support the following points relative to happiness: 

o   Happy people on average have stronger immune systems

o   Happy people on average live longer lives

o   Happy people are more successful – they earn more income

o   Happy people enjoy better marriages

o   Happy people are more social and enjoy better social relationships

o   Happy people cope better with difficult situations

o   Happy people like themselves and other people more

* Source – the website of Dr. Ed Diener

How Does One Gain Greater Happiness?

As you might suspect, there is no one-way to improve happiness levels.  Even if there was a way, very few (if any) of us could expect to be happy 100% of the time. 

It is important to remember that some people have problems being happy and they require professional therapy or some other type of intervention.

While experts continue to study happiness continues, they have identified several factors that contribute to heightened happiness levels:

• Have good relationships.  Develop caring and mutually enriching relationships with family, friends, and associates.

• Say ‘Thank you.’  Expressing our gratitude can have tremendously positive consequences, especially when expressed to individuals that we have failed to thank properly for things they gave to us, did for us, or did on our behalf.

• Be Positive.  Aim to be optimistic, or even realistic, about things going on your world.  Focusing on hurtful and unpleasant things is not good for your happiness levels – especially when we are unable to or unwilling to take corrective action.

• Get involved in your passions.  When you focus on activities related to your values, strengths, and interests, increased happiness is bound to result.

 

This year, diversityinbusiness.com is providing its readers with more empowering stories and information, and the good thing is as we become more empowered, our happiness level rises.  Therefore,  I encourage you to pursue your passions, form good relationships, say ‘thank you’ to those who supply the many blessings that flow into your life each day.  If you focus on your blessings, you will discover just how positive and happy you are.

 

Resources

For additional information on happiness and positive psychology, consider the following resources:

 

Finally, remember the song, “Don’t worry, be happy?”  Now, just look at the smile that memory put on your face.  Go forth and be happy!

Guy Summers

President, Farrell Group, L.L.C.

www.farrellgrp.com