Happiness: 6 rumors and facts

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If you want to have more joy in your life then the first step is to get it right. Don't fall into myths about happiness, which will only keep you from achieving true happiness.

1. What is happiness?

Happiness is an emotional state characterized by feelings of joy, contentment, contentment and fulfillment. While happiness has many different definitions, it is often described as related to positive emotions and life satisfaction.
When people talk about happiness, most of them are probably talking about how they feel in the present moment, or they may be referring to a more general feeling about how they feel about life in general.
Because happiness is such a broadly defined term, psychologists and other social scientists often use the term “subjective happiness” when they talk about this emotional state. Subjective happiness often focuses on an individual's overall personal feelings about their life in the present.
The two main factors of happiness are:
Emotional balance: Everyone experiences emotions, feelings and moods both positive and negative. Happiness often involves experiencing more positive than negative feelings. Life Satisfaction: This relates to how satisfied you are with different areas of your life including relationships, work, and other things that you consider important.

2. Misconceptions about happiness

2.1. Are you happy or unhappy Suppose you have two children that you have raised equally, but they have opposite personalities, one is sour, the other is obedient. This makes it hard to argue that genes play an important role in a person's happiness. There is evidence that genetics contributes to about 50% of your happiness "setpoint" - the level of happiness that seems most normal to you.
Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of "The Happiness Approach: A New Approach to Getting The Life You Want" and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. "Research shows you can become happier, no matter what your goal, and work towards any meaningful goal in life."
She says that not only can you become happier, but easier, over time. Work on nurturing relationships, keep a gratitude journal, perform random acts of kindness, or do a morning exercise or meditation program. Proven methods to boost happiness - can become a habit after a while, meaning it takes less effort to achieve happiness.

2.2. Happiness is a destination Many people think of happiness as a destination or achievement, whether it's marriage, money or moving to a new place. Sure, things like this can contribute to happiness, but not as much as you might think. They only make up about 10% of your entire picture of happiness.
Actually about 40% of happiness is in your hands. Long-term happiness has more to do with the way you behave and think (things you can control) than with the circumstances of your life.
Robert Biswas-Diener, co-author of the book "Happiness: Unlocking the Mystery of Psychological Wealth" agrees. He said: “Happiness is not an emotional finish line in the race of life. It is a process and a resource.”
Biswas-Diener says there's a mountain of data showing that when people are happier, they become healthier and more curious, sociable, productive, creative, and more willing to try new things.
In psychological terms, this is known as the theory of the expansion and construction of positive emotions, says Michael A. Cohn, a postdoctoral researcher at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Francisco said.
Cohn recently conducted a study with 86 college students who submitted daily emotional reports. The researchers measured students' ability to flexibly respond to challenging and changing circumstances, then used a scale to assess life satisfaction.
Research shows that positive emotions increase resilience - the skill of identifying opportunities and resisting adversity, as well as life satisfaction.
2.3. You are always adapting to your happiness set point It is true that people tend to adapt fairly quickly to positive changes in their lives. In fact, adaptation is one of the major obstacles to becoming happier. The long-awaited home, the new car, the prestigious job, can all bring temporary happiness but then diminish over time.
Why does this happen? One reason is that we've grown to pay more attention to novelty. For our ancestors, novelty signaled danger or opportunity. We are attuned to contrasts, not to be alike. But it also means that we easily adapt to the positive experiences that come our way.
Lyubomirsky thinks you can prevent adaptation, slow it down, or stop it with positive ways of thinking or behaving. To combat this trend, she has made an effort to appreciate the views she sees as she runs down the ocean-view path. She says she now enjoys the scene every day, trying to see it “through the eyes of a tourist.”
To prevent adaptation, you can also use novelty to your advantage. For example, if your house becomes cramped, you could try rearranging furniture or throwing parties for lots of friends.Lyubomirsky notes that activities like these are most effective because they require your attention.

2.4. Negative emotions always outweigh positive emotions. For a long time, research has shown that negative emotions are stronger than positive emotions. Studies show that people don't react equally to winning $3 and losing $3. Losses tend to have a stronger effect than gains.
Negative emotions can overwhelm positive emotions in the moment, because they are telling you to find the problem and fix it. But positive emotions seem to win out over time.
Researchers found that as positive emotions increase, there comes a time when negative emotions no longer have a significant impact on resource building or life satisfaction changes. Positive emotions won't protect you from feeling bad about things, and it shouldn't be. But over time, they can protect you from the consequences of negative emotions.
This may not be true for people with depression or other serious mental disorders, although they do show benefits when positive emotions are added to conventional psychotherapy.
2.5. Happiness is all about hedonism. There is more to happiness than collecting pleasurable experiences. In fact, helping others as opposed to hedonism may be the most direct route to happiness. New research demonstrates the link between doing good and living a longer, healthier and happier life.
Post, professor of preventive medicine and director of the Center for Health Humanities, said: “When people help others through formal volunteering or generous acts, about half say they feel feel happy and 13% even feel less pain.”
For most people, little time doing good deeds makes a difference.This may involve volunteering. just 1 or 2 hours a week or doing 5 generous things a week - practices that go beyond what you would normally do
A higher mood when helped is linked to the release of serotonin , endorphins - the body's natural opiate and oxytocin, a happiness hormone that reinforces more helping behavior.

2.6. One standard fits all happiness There is no one right standard for all happiness. Instead, there are ways to boost your happiness. Here are options to try:
Choose an activity that makes sense to you. Whether you choose an activity that promotes gratitude, connection, forgiveness, or optimism, you'll be most successful if your choices are personally relevant. This can also prevent you from adapting to them too quickly. Assess your strengths and develop methods of making the best use of these. Change your activities to promote happiness. In summary, when it comes to happiness, maintaining your will and acting on it can help you have an enjoyable and meaningful life within reach.

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Reference source: webmd.com