The Elements of Happiness

Elements of Happiness

Science Reveals the Formula for Happiness and the Secret to a Happy Life

Over the past 20 years, scientists all over the world have looked at happy people and what they have in common. It turns out that no matter where you live or what your religion, those of us who are consistiently happy with our lives all follow some pretty consistient patterns. These patterns are the formula for happiness.

The really good news about this is that these patterns show that at least half of our happiness is due to things within our own control!

In his book, Authentic Happiness, Dr. Martin Seligman reveals the elements of happiness. He says that the formula for happiness is:

The Formula for a Happy Life, by Dr. Martin Seligman

Enduring Level of Happiness

What is happiness? Researchers use a life satisfaction survey to measure people's enduring level of happiness. Each person rates his or her general happiness on a scale of 1 to 4 or 1 to 7 for four questions, and then takes the average result. These tests are designed to measure a happy life based on the over all level of happiness across a lifetime. Scientific conclusions about the elements of happiness are almost all based on this approach. Find out more about how to measure happiness with the article Measure Happiness.

Set Point

Research on twins has shown that many of our traits, like body weight, pessimism, and being an extrovert are inherited genetically from our parents. About 50% of our tendency for these traits comes from our genes. The other 50% comes from our habits or training. So, we may not be able to completely change our nature, but we can learn to live in the happier part of our range by adopting new behaviors and thought patterns. This is the real secret to happiness: we can not change our nature, but we can choose happiness by choosing thoughts and activities that maximize our happiness within our nature.

Circumstances

Our circumstances, like health, wealth, social life and education do impact our level of happiness somewhat. Researchers have identified many of the long term circumstances that are elements of happiness and how much each contributes. The answers may surprise you. Find out more about the circumstances that lead to happiness and the ones that don't in the Ways to Happiness.

Variables

Diagram showing flow in relation to other emotions

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.- Shakespeare

Dr. Selligman divides the variable factors for happiness into pleasures and gratifications. Pleasures include sensory and emotional experiences. For example a delicious taste, or comforting warmth are sensory pleasures and glee or delight are emotional pleasures. Pleasure is subjective, meaning the person needs to feel the pleasure, no matter what anyone else's definition is. Pleasures are also fleeting and momentary, so lasting happiness depends on pleasure that can be sustained over time. For example, drinking wine might make you feel good for a few hours, but over time the effect wears off and too much will severely degrade health over time thus reducing happiness. Gratifications are activities we enjoy primarily because of the result. When we help someone or achieve something important we feel gratified.

Another way to look at the variable factors for happiness is to divide them into happy thoughts and happy activities. When we think happy thoughts we are aware that we are experiencing happiness. We might think to ourselves about the pleasure we feel at that moment, or how gratified we feel helping someone. Any one of the positive emotions can lead to happy thoughts.

It is not in the pursuit of happiness that we find fulfillment, it is in the happiness of pursuit.

Denis Waitley

Happy activities, on the other hand, may not necessarily feel happy at the time. These activities absorb and engage us fully. When we are doing happy activities, we are not aware of how we feel in the moment, but after the activity is over, we look back and realize we had fun, or feel proud of the result.. Gratifying activities often produce a state of mind called flow, or being in the zone.

The Secret to a Happy Life

The secret to a happy life is to choose happiness. Choose happiness by choosing activities that maximize the elements of happiness in the formula for happiness. So, in the words of Bobby McFerrin, don't worry, be happy. Enjoy the life you have now, keep building a happy future, and remember your past fondly.

Learn how to incorporate the Elements of Happiness into your life with the Happy Life U Tip of the Week. Get happy quotes, tips, affirmations, and meditation questions delivered to your email box and choose happiness for yourself!

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