Happiness is that quality that you can't find simply by wanting it, or by trying hard to get it. But a charity dedicated to the topic claims to have identified ten activities and attitudes that consistently tend to impact positively on people's well-being.
Action For Happiness, a UK-based movement, has
pulled together a comprehensive summary of recent psychological studies and
in-depth research into what makes us tick as human, sociable beings.
Its divided the
subsequent ten categories into the words "Great Dream".
"Great", the first five steps, stands for how we interact with the
outside world in our day-to-day life, in terms of giving, relating, exercising,
appreciating and trying out. These are based on research into well-being
conducted by the New Economics Foundation.
"Dream", the
next five steps, represents what's going on inside us and internal drivers
of happiness. So direction, resilience, emotion, acceptance and meaning.
Come find out more about
the 10 keys to happiness, as according to Action For Happiness, below.
1. GIVING - DO THINGS
FOR OTHERS
Doing things for others
- whether that's volunteering at a local women's aid shelter or simply a kind
word or gesture - has been proven to be a powerful motivator of happiness. Not
only does it lend a sense of meaning and competence to our lives, it also helps
us connect with people on a wider societal scale and tends to mean we put our
own troubles in perspective.
A wide-ranging 2005
study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine found
that altruistic behaviours and emotions are linked with greater well-being,
health and longevity. In other words, being kind to others can actually prolong
your life, as well as making you happier.
2. RELATING - CONNECT
WITH PEOPLE
The degree to which our
happiness is affected by how we relate to people around us cannot be underestimated.
Our connections to families, friends, neighbours and colleagues are central to
happiness - both our happiness, and theirs. Numerous studies have shown that
social connections are important, not only psychologically, but to our health.
Good social support has been connected to lower stress levels, a
better immune system and even a lower risk of heart disease and mental decline
in later life.
A 2009 paper published
in the Oxford Handbook of Positive
Psychology found that it's the quality of our relationships
that matters most, and that in turn is influenced by positive emotional
expressions, shared novel experiences, intimacy, and the benefits of
shared positive events. The situation here is also circular - so good
relationships make you happier, and happier people in turn enjoy greater,
longer-lasting relationships.
3. EXERCISING - TAKE
CARE OF YOUR BODY
It's a no-brainer that
taking care of your body improves your well-being generally. Physical activity
instantly lifts your mood, even if it's something as simple as turning
your phone off and going for a brisk walk in the park. It can also boost
your self-esteem and help you concentrate, sleep, look and feel better.
Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden this
year found that exercise actually detoxes harmful chemicals from the body and
can alleviate depression, by purging the blood of a substance which
accumulates during stress. Their research indicates that during
exercise, the muscles begin to act like the liver or kidneys and produce
an enzyme which clears out a molecule linked to depression.
4. APPRECIATING -
NOTICE THE WORLD AROUND YOU
You know the whole hype
over the importance of mindfulness? Well this is it. Mindfulness is often
defined as "the state of being attentive to and aware of what is taking
place in the present". By being actively aware of what is around us (what
we see, hear, touch, smell and taste) and what's happening within us (our
thoughts and feelings), the idea is we avoid getting caught up in thinking and
worrying. We are accepting in what we observe, with control over what we
give our attention to.
Social scientists have
connected mindfulness to a whole ream of benefits in daily life, from
better quality relationships to better performance at work. One such study
from 2003 found that an increase in mindfulness
over time led to a marked decline in mood disturbances and stress, and enhanced
self-awareness.
5. TRYING OUT - KEEPING
LEARNING NEW THINGS
Learning new skills
boasts our self-confidence and sense of worth and keeps us curious, alert and
engaged. When we're intensely involved in learning and doing new things, our
well-being blossoms and this effect becomes more pronounced as we get older. So
learning should never begin and end at school - our minds are like muscles, and
we need to keep exercising them in order to make them work properly. This
doesn't have to mean undergoing a PHD, but even something as simple as joining
a choir, learning a new language online or anything that takes you out of your
comfort zone and involves a degree of focus, meaning and purpose.
In fact learning
something new can even help with the process of learning as a whole, making you
more receptive to other skills. US-based neuroscientist Nina
Kraus recently published a number of new studies that
show that learning about music can facilitate getting better at other
things, like language skills and hearing in noisy places - and can do so
in ways that last for decades.
6. DIRECTION - HAVE
GOALS TO LOOK FORWARD TO
We all need goals to
motivate us in life; achievable missions that will challenge and stretch us,
without being overly stressful or unrealistic. Setting goals is a way of
turning our values and dreams into reality. They grow our confidence and
give us something to look forward to, building a sense of belief and
interest in the future. They work best if they are something that we personally
want to do for ourselves, as opposed to what other people want us to do.
Interestingly the act of working towards a goal has been shown to be as
important to creating happiness as actually achieving the goal in question.
7. RESILIENCE - FIND
WAYS TO BOUNCE BACK
We all face challenges
and tragedies in life, but the key is how we cope with them. Crucial to
happiness is our ability to cope with and "bounce back" from the
tough times. We need to know how to bend, adapt and persevere when faced with
difficulties, rather than breaking apart in the face of them. Of course, this
very much depends on the situation and is much easier said than done, but
resilience expert Dr Ann Masten describes
it as "ordinary magic" that can be drawn from our everyday
capabilities, relationships and resources. The same quality also helps us
become more willing and open to take on new opportunities, which again
contributes towards a greater sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. In this
way, resilience involves growing and learning, as well as being an
essential survival skill.
8. EMOTION - TAKE A
POSITIVE APPROACH
Just as negative
emotions narrow our perception of the world, positive feelings broaden our
universe, making us more creative, flexible and more receptive to those around
us. Numerous studies have
shown that emotions such as joy, gratitude and contentment alter our
thinking and actions to make us more open to new experiences and more
trusting of others. And those new experiences that result from positive emotions
can lead to lasting changes in our lives. Over time, positive emotions like
laughter and enthusiasm will help us build relationships (by being able to
connect more quickly with people) and gain greater knowledge (by being
more open to different ideas and experiences). There is also evidence to suggest that upward
spirals of positive emotion counter downward spirals of negativity; so we
recover more quickly from negative thoughts or experiences if we are in
possession of a generally positive approach to life.
9. ACCEPTANCE - BE
COMFORTABLE WITH WHO YOU ARE
Self-esteem or
self-acceptance is a crucial psychological factor that helps determine how
good or happy we feel. This means we need to know our strengths and our
weaknesses, come to terms with our past and feel good about ourselves while
being aware of our limitations. It doesn't mean we need to ignore or bypass
mistakes or weaknesses, but rather move forward with them.
Renowned
psychologist Albert Ellis said we had two choices;
accepting ourselves conditionally (such as when we pass an exam) or
unconditionally (under all circumstances). The first option he described as
"deadly" - if we don't fulfill the conditions we set for ourselves,
we see ourselves as a failure and a loser, rather than accepting failure as a
normal part of life and moving on. Low self-esteem means you may want to change
an aspect of yourself, meaning you dwell over what is wrong and can't move
ahead with yourself, and with a happy life.
10. MEANING - BE PART
OF SOMETHING BIGGER
Scientific research
shows that having a connection to something bigger than ourselves - a
spiritual side to our lives, being a parent or doing a job that makes a
difference - makes us happier and healthier. Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology, describes
meaning as a vital component of happiness and well-being. "For the
‘Meaningful Life,’ you use your highest strengths and talents to belong to and
serve something you believe is larger than the self," he said.
It doesn't matter how
you achieve it or what it constitutes, but having this meaning or bigger
purpose means people are happier, more in control of what they do and get more
out of their actions. They also experience less stress, anxiety and
depression, various studies have shown.
From the Stylish Magacine
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