The New Science of….HAPPINESS!

A series of articles in Time Magazine, January 17, 2005 edition made me Happy…..They were entitled, mind & body…Happiness…..
I will paraphrase some of that information…..

“Sugary white sand under the bright Yucatan sun, aquamarine water teeming with tropical fish and lazy sea turtles, cold Mexican beer beckoning beneath the shady thatch of palapas - it’s hard to imagine a sweeter spot than Akumal, Mexico, to contemplate the joys of being alive…That was precisely the agenda when three leading psychologists, Drs. Martin Seligman, Ray Fowler, and Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi, gathered in this Mexican paradise to plot a new direction for psychology in 1998.
By the end of their week at the beach, the three had plans for the first-ever conference on positive psychology, to be held in Akumal a year later-it was to become an annual event-and a strategy for recruiting young talent to the nascent field.
The result: an explosion of research on happiness, optimism, positive emotions and healthy character traits.
Seldom has an academic field been brought so quickly…
and deliberately to life….
Here are some of their findings……

What Makes Us Happy?
So, what has science learned about what makes the human heart sing?
More than one might imagine - along with some surprising things about what doesn’t ring our inner chimes.
Take wealth, for instance, and all the delightful things that money can buy.
Research by Dr. Edward Diener of the University of Illinois, a.k.a. Dr. Happiness, among others, has shown that once your basic needs are met, additional income does little to raise your sense of satisfaction with life.
A good education?
Sorry, Mom and Dad, neither education nor, for that matter, a high IQ paves the road to happiness.
Youth?
No, again. In fact, older people are more consistently satisfied with their lives than the young. And they’re less prone to dark moods: a recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that people ages 20 to 24 are sad for an average of 3.4 days a month, as opposed to just 2.3 days for people ages 65 to 74.
Marriage?
A complicated picture: married people are generally happier than singles, but that may be because they were happier to begin with…
Sunny days?
Nope, although a 1998 study showed that Midwesterners think folks living in balmy California are happier and that Californians incorrectly believe this about themselves too….
……On the positive side, religious faith seems to genuinely lift the spirit, though it’s tough to tell whether it’s the God part or the community aspect that does the heavy lifting of the heart…
Friends?
A giant yes.
A 2002 study conducted at the University of Illinois by Diener and Seligman found that the most salient characteristics shared by the 10% of the students with the highest levels of happiness and the fewest signs of depression were their strong ties to friends and family….and a commitment to spending time with them…
“Word needs to be spread,” concludes Diener. “It is important to work on social skills, close personal ties and social support in order to be happy.”

Want to lift your level of happiness?
Here are some practical suggestions from University of California psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, based on research by her and others……

EIGHT STEPS TOWARD A MORE SATISFYING LIFE….
1. Count Your Blessings…..
One way to do this is with a ‘gratitude journal’ in which you write down three to five things for which you are currently thankful - from the mundane (your flowers are in bloom) to the magnificent (seeing a child’s first steps).
Do this once a week, say, on Sunday night.
Keep it fresh by varying your entries as much as possible.
2. Practice Acts of Kindness….
These should be both random (let that busy Mom go ahead of you in the checkout line) and systematic (bring Sunday supper to an elderly neighbor).
Being kind to others, whether friends or strangers, triggers a cascade of positive effects - it makes you feel generous and capable, gives you a greater sense of connection with others and wins you smiles, approval and reciprocated kindness - all happiness boosters.
3...Savor Life’s Joys….
Pay close attention to momentary pleasures and wonders.
Focus on the sweetness of a ripe strawberry or the warmth of the sun when you step out from the shade.
Some psychologists suggest taking ‘mental photographs’ of pleasurable moments to review in less happy times.
4...Thank a Mentor….
If there’s someone whom you owe a debt of gratitude for guiding you at one of life’s crossroads, don’t wait to express your appreciation - in detail and, if possible, in person.
5...Learn To Forgive….
Let go of anger and resentment by writing a letter of forgiveness to a person who has hurt or wronged you.
Inability to forgive is associated with persistent rumination or dwelling on revenge, while forgiving allows you to move on.
6...Invest Time and Energy in Friends and Family….
Where you live, how much money you make, your job title and even your health have surprisingly small effects on your satisfaction with life.
The biggest factor appears to be strong personal relationships….
7...Take Care of Your Body….
Getting plenty of sleep, exercising, stretching, smiling and laughing can all enhance your mood in the short term. Practiced regularly, they can help make your daily life more satisfying.
8...Develop Strategies for Coping with Stress and Hardships….
There is no avoiding hard times!
Religious faith has been shown to help people cope, but in addition, belief in axioms like….”This too shall pass’ and “That which doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.”….
The trick is that you have faith to believe them….”
End of article…..The New Science of HAPPINESS…

In summary….and in agreement with the above ’research’ by professionals, I have to add…..God, Family & Friends, Country….all contribute to what I call….The Good Life….
Ole Abe Lincoln said it best....."Most folks are as HAPPYas they make up their minds to be!"
I want to personally thank all of you who contribute and enhance my life….simply by being…..YOU!
You help make me……H A P P Y!
Below is ….proof of human happiness …