Happiness Blog

Here’s a typical abstract of recent happiness studies from Scientific American:

We tend to adapt, quickly returning to our usual level of happiness. The classic example of such “hedonic adaptation” comes from a 1970s study of lottery winners, who a year after their windfall ended up no happier than non winners. Hedonic adaptation helps to explain why even changes in major life circumstances - such as income, marriage, physical health and where we live - do so little to boost our overall happiness.

Not only that, but studies of twins and adoptees have shown that a determined from birth. This “genetic set point” alone makes the happiness glass look half empty, because any upward swing in happiness seems doomed to fall back to near your baseline.

How Depressing! Academic research proves even unexpected abundant wealth does not bring lasting happiness and our happiness is a prisoner function of our genes!

What are we meant to do if we want to be happier and live happy, spiritually successful lives? Take drugs? See a psychotherapist? The psychologists at these major research institutions leave us hanging without solutions, suggestions or resolutions.

They don’t want you to know there are simple, enduring, universal truths that lead to happiness and a happy life!

Another synopsis from the “father of Flow” Mihály Csíkszentmihályi one of the world’s leading researchers in positive psychology suggests we: 1) Be attuned to what gives us satisfaction; 2) Study ourselves; and 3) Take control. It’s hardly a complete recipe for happiness!

Most happiness research is conducted by psychology departments at major universities who have huge investments in treating problems and disease. The emergence of simple, teachable Happiness Truths would undermine these psychologists professed preeminence, prestige, power and economic well-being. Expect academic research to biased towards Daniel Gilbert’s “Stumbling on Happiness” thesis that most people don’t know what makes them happy.

Pharmaceutical firms are major advertisers. Over eleven million prescriptions for psycho active mood elevators are written annually in the United States alone. Is the media willing to cover options that could jeopardize this revenue?

There are universal, enduring, eternal truths that lead to happy, spiritually successful lives. We call these happiness habits…

“Be Guided By Goodness • Fuel Your Life With Fun • Passion Is Empty Without Compassion • Profit From Your Mistakes • Beating Yourself Up Reinforces Errors You Want To Avoid • Drive Discipline With Desire • Make Decisions Not Judgments • Schedule Your Time Not Your Tasks • Be Driven By Desire NOT Duress • See Obstacles NOT Problems • Focus On How You Want To Feel • Touch Each Person You Meet With A Positive Spirit • Love Propels Happiness ”

Don’t expect them to be covered by television, magazine or major media enterprises that rely on advertising for their revenue.

Copyright 2007, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Contact us for reprints. See HappinessHabit.com for more happiness insights. Michele Moore is author of How To Live A Happy Life - 101 Ways To Be Happier.

It’s official, recent scientific research shows bacteria commonly found in dirt, bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae, can lift levels of serotonin in the brain, brightening our moods and contributing to our happiness.

At last, scientific proof of what gardeners have known since the beginning of time, digging in the dirt is enjoyable, satisfying and good for our happiness!

Copyright 2007, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Contact Us for reprints. See HappinessHabit.com for more happiness insights. Michele Moore is author of How To Live A Happy Life - 101 Ways To Be Happier.

UPDATE

CBS removed Gilbert’s second quote* from the CNBSnews.com website after we received his angry email.

Our comments had impact!

Katie Couric’s interview today with “Stumbling on Happiness” author Daniel Gilbert shares revealing insights into how psychologists view happiness.

Here are Dr. Gilbert’s closing comments:

“This interview has, of course, been the single happiest experience of my entire adult life,” says Gilbert.

“I’d have to say that I am especially happy when my 4 year old granddaughter and I spread the tinker toys out on the living room floor and build a geebenfloober. Neither of us has any idea what a geebenfloober is, but it’s really fun to say with a mouthful of pretzels.”

Conspicuously absent were any steps people can take to live happier, more fulfilling lives, like…

Be Guided By Goodness, Fuel Your Life With Fun, Your Aim Determines Your Achievements, Avoid All Unnecessary, Non-Productive Negativity and the Fault Finding Feel Goods, Focus On How You Want To Feel, Drive Discipline With Desire, Live According To Your Aspirations Not Your Inclinations, Touch People With A Positive Spirit, Live By Only The Highest And Best Values, Be Driven By Desire Not Duress, Love Propels Happiness.

Psychotherapists have major investments in treating disease. Growing happiness does not necessarily further their goals.

*Gilbert begins by saying, “in the land of plenty, plenty of people are unhappy and want to know why.”

He seems to view unhappiness as something that is wrong, as a disease, not as a difficulty that can be overcome by thinking and acting in new or different ways.

Don’t look to psychologists or psychotherapists for compelling insights about happiness.

Instead, seek out genuinely happy people. Study and acquire their values, beliefs and ideals and then become happy like them.

Gilbert comments, “You should do some homework before criticizing others as a means of promoting your book.” Hmmm, did we really criticize? Or did we just quote him fairly from the interview and state the facts? We were certainly kind and supportive on the CBS website.

You decide.

Copyright 2007, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. See HappinessHabit.com for more insights about how to live a happy life. Comment on this posting below.

India is studying happiness in an effort to bring happiness studies into schools. Certainly being absorbed in productive, creative activities can be very rewarding.

A wonderful article from Thailand Times linking flow states to happiness disappeared from their site.   Creative flow states as described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi are often linked to happiness.

We don’t disagree that creative flow states can be a source of happiness. It is easy to get lost in the flow and loose site of  what you have to do and what you really want to achieve.

We found habitually happy people were generally very time conscious, they tended to schedule their time not their tasks. Time was generally their limiting resource.

Being concerned about time protected them from getting lost in the flow and loosing site of what they really want to achieve.

The Mercury News reports Clairmont College in California is initiating a doctoral program in Happiness. They will research “What makes people happy?”

We wonder, why not ask, “How can people make themselves happy?” Isn’t our goal to be happy and find ways to live a happier, more spiritually successful life?

We agree with Wil Wilkinson’s Happiness & Public Policy Blog about happiness research. Today’s posting is, as always, very sophisticated and complete. He refers to research on aging and happiness, which was also recently reported in Slate.

Science Blogs reported research on the decline in happiness during the 20th Century. Reading it did not make me happy!

Copyright 2007, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Contact us for Reprints. See HappinessHabit.com for more information. Comment on our posting below.

Yes, happy people are healthier too! Tonight NBC featured studies showing that happy people are more resistant to cold and flu viruses and lead longer lives than their less happy counterparts.

Ten Years Longer Life..

A well known study of Catholic nuns revealed that nuns who consistently wrote positive journals lived up to 10 years longer than those whose journals tended toward negative.

“If we hope, we cope. If we don’t, we mope,” one charmingly energetic 96 year old nun commented on screen. What’s the reason?

Happiness is a protector against stress.

Stress stimulates the release of cortisol, a hormone correlated with higher risks of heart disease.

Happiness counters stress, when we’re happy, we’re less stressed.

A related feature reported that more than 11 million prescriptions are written annually for anti depressant medications like Prozac and Zolof in the United States. If we chemically treat erectile dysfunction and baldness, why not bad moods?

See HappinessHabit.com for more articles describing how to live a happy life.

Copyright 2007, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Comment on this post below…