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Over the last twenty years we have seen a dramatic upsurge in scientific studies aimed at discovering the causes of “subjective well being” or to put it simply, discovering what makes happy people happy. Happiness, like any psychological state, is not an easy thing to measure, and so the results of these studies are not perfectly reliable. Yet we are slowly getting a clearer picture of what we can do to find greater happiness and fulfillment. Many of the scientific studies point to certain key areas that can strongly impact our pursuit of happiness. Let’s take a look at the areas of consensus that are emerging through the new science of happiness.
1. Communicating
The top line: People who have one or more close friendships appear to be happier. It doesn’t seem to matter if we have a large network of close relationships or not. What seems to make a difference is if and how often we cooperate in activities and share our personal feelings with a friend or relative. Simply put, it’s not the quantity of our relationships, but the quality that matters.
2. Caring
The top line: People who volunteer or simply take a little extra time to assist and care for others around them seem to be happier. “Caring” can be as simple as reaching out to a workmate or classmate who looks lonely or is struggling with an issue. Or it can be something more organized, such as volunteering to care for the homeless or disabled. Studies show that people who reach out like this feel better about themselves, and experience a stronger sense of “belonging,” usefulness and purpose.
3. Exercising
The top line: Regular exercise has a significant effect on our mood, especially in relieving depression. For many people with mild to moderate depression, working out at least three times a week, especially for more than a few months, appears to lift them out of the blues. The longer they continue to do this, the greater the impact.
4. Getting in the Flow
The top line: If we are deeply involved in trying to reach a goal, or an activity that is challenging but well suited to our skills, we experience a joyful state called “flow.” One may find still greater happiness experiencing “flow” in working towards long-term, meaningful goals.
5. Religious and Spiritual Engagement
The top line: People follow spiritual paths and join religious organizations for innumerable reasons, including faith, prayer, social support, community service, cultural tradition, friendship, commitment to the community and more. How often do you hear someone say that they committed to a religion or spiritual practice primarily to become happier? Perhaps not often. However, interestingly enough, studies demonstrate a close link between spiritual and religious practice and happiness.
6. Cultivating Strengths and Virtues
The top line: The work of positive psychologists such as Seligman appears to show that the happiest people are those that have discovered their unique strengths (such as persistence and logic) and virtues (such as humanity and patience), and use those strengths and virtues for a purpose that is greater than their own personal goals. These kinds of people are doing what we have suggested in the section on “caring,” but on top of that they use their unique abilities and gifts to do it.
7. Positive Thinking: Optimism, Savoring, and Gratitude
The top line: If you want to be happy, think happy thoughts first! While it sounds simple and intuitive, optimistic thinking is highly correlated with happiness, though more studies are needed on the cause-effect relationship. Do we become happy because we are optimistic, or do we think optimistic thoughts because we are happy? Optimists are generally more persevering in their goals and activities because they have the confidence, commitment and motivation to overcome challenges. Optimists generally possess higher self-esteem because they believe more in their own capabilities in the present, and the future.
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