Scientists are finally coming up with answers about what makes people happy and how people can increase the degree of happiness in life. Here are some of the things that researchers say affect happiness.
What Makes People Happy?
When people think of happiness, they often think about things that bring them pleasure. Food, material goods, sex, and favorite activities are often on the list people come up with when asked about what makes people happy.
But science has shown that these things only bring temporary pleasure, not the true joy that many people search for throughout life. In reality, say scientists like Dr. Martin Seligman, a University of Pennsylvania professor, and David Ben-Shahar from Harvard University, true happiness depends on having things in life that are both pleasurable and meaningful.
Relationships and Friends Make People Happier
One important way to become happier is by developing meaningful relationships. Relationships and friends make people happier overall. Having five or more close friends brings more happiness to people.
A recent study published in the British Medical Journal even found that happiness can be contagious among friends. When one person achieves happiness, their friends will also become happier.
How to Buy Happiness
Money can't buy happiness, but how someone decides to spend their money certainly can affect happiness levels, according to scientists. One way to use money to increase happiness is by buying experiences instead of objects.
Money spent on a vacation or hobby has been shown to bring far more joy than a new TV or car. Another thing scientists have discovered is that doing good and helping others brings higher levels of happiness than simply doing pleasurable things. So spending money on charity can buy more happiness than the same amount of cash spent on oneself.
Optimistic People are Happier
A common thread through much of the scientific research is that optimism affects happiness levels. Optimistic people are happier people. Optimistic individuals also tend to live longer, giving them more time to enjoy their happy lives.
According to researchers optimism can be developed over time, leading to greater life happiness.
How to Be Happy Using Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the process of carefully observing the world and paying attention to the little details that are commonly overlooked. People practice mindfulness when they savor the taste and texture of the foods they eat instead of just wolfing down their meal or when they take time to slow their walking to look around them instead of rushing to school or work.
This kind of attention and concentration has been shown to increase happiness when practiced regularly.
Resilience Leads to Greater Happiness
Resilience, the ability to bounce back from bad experiences without dwelling on them or continuing to repeat the patterns that caused them, may be another thing that influences happiness levels. According to psychologists, resilient people view failure as a learning experience and are able to prevent themselves from getting bogged down by negative experiences or problems.
Resources:
- James H Fowler, Nicholas A Christakis. Dynamic spread of happiness in a large social network: longitudinal analysis over 20 years in the Framingham Heart Study. British Medical Journal, December 4, 2008.
- Dunn, E.W., Aknin, L., & Norton, M. I. (2008). Spending money on others promotes happiness. Science, 319, 1687-1688.
Bridget Coila - I'm a cell and molecular biologist, freelance writer and photographer currently living in Beijing, China. I'm fascinated by science, ...
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