Difference between revisions of "Be Happy"
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| − | + | Happiness is not a simple goal, but is about making progress, when it's as elusive as ever. Being happy often means continually finding satisfaction, contentment, a feeling of joy, and a sense that your life is meaningful during all kinds of problems — that does not depend upon finding ease or comfort.<ref name="rf564">http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/happiness_greatest_hits</ref> Nobody is jolly or elated all the time, but some individuals are definitely more fulfilled/fortunate than others. Some studies reveal that happiness has little to do with comfort or possessions — so what is it about? A sense of well being/happiness is good for your health, so what can we do to have that?<ref name="rf565">http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/are_positive_emotions_good_your_heart</ref> Read on to learn how to be happier. | |
| − | [[Category:Happiness & Optimism]] | + | [[Category: Happiness & Optimism]] |
== Steps == | == Steps == | ||
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#*People who are physically active have higher incidences of enthusiasm and excitement.<ref name="rf610">http://journals.humankinetics.com/jsep-current-issue/jsep-volume-33-issue-6-december/the-dynamic-nature-of-physical-activity-intentions-a-within-person-perspective-on-intention-behavior-coupling</ref><ref name="rf611">http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/exercise/</ref> Scientists hypothesize that exercise causes the brain to release chemicals called endorphins that elevate our mood. | #*People who are physically active have higher incidences of enthusiasm and excitement.<ref name="rf610">http://journals.humankinetics.com/jsep-current-issue/jsep-volume-33-issue-6-december/the-dynamic-nature-of-physical-activity-intentions-a-within-person-perspective-on-intention-behavior-coupling</ref><ref name="rf611">http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/exercise/</ref> Scientists hypothesize that exercise causes the brain to release chemicals called endorphins that elevate our mood. | ||
#*Eat right. Eating healthy foods — fruits and vegetables, lean meats and proteins, whole grains, nuts, and seeds — gives your body and brain the energy it needs to be healthy. Research indicates that unhealthy diets, especially those rich in processed carbohydrates, sugars, and industrial vegetable fats, is responsible for some cell death, brain shrinkage and contributes to certain diseases like depression and dementia.<ref name="rf612">http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/basics/healthy-diets/hlv-20049477</ref> | #*Eat right. Eating healthy foods — fruits and vegetables, lean meats and proteins, whole grains, nuts, and seeds — gives your body and brain the energy it needs to be healthy. Research indicates that unhealthy diets, especially those rich in processed carbohydrates, sugars, and industrial vegetable fats, is responsible for some cell death, brain shrinkage and contributes to certain diseases like depression and dementia.<ref name="rf612">http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/basics/healthy-diets/hlv-20049477</ref> | ||
| − | #*Get enough restful sleep. Study after study confirms it: the more sleep you get, the happier you tend to be.<ref name="rf613">http://www.sciencemag.org/content/306/5702/1776.abstract</ref> Getting just a single extra hour of sleep per night makes the average person happier than making $60,000 more in annual income, astoundingly enough.<ref name="rf614">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/sleep-challenge-2010-slee_b_436341.html</ref> Research has also showed that employees who get enough rest are more productive and successful.<ref name="rf615">Debus, M.E., Deutsch, W., Sonnentag, S., Nussbeck, F.W. (2014). Making flow happen: The effects of being recovered on work-related flow between and within days. Journal of Applied Psychology, 99(4), pp. 713-722.</ref> So if you're middle-aged, shoot to get at least eight hours of sleep per night; the young and elderly should shoot for 9 to 11 hours of sleep per night.<ref name="rf206" /><span id="family"></span> | + | #*Get enough restful sleep. Study after study confirms it: the more sleep you get, the happier you tend to be.<ref name="rf613">http://www.sciencemag.org/content/306/5702/1776.abstract</ref> Getting just a single extra hour of sleep per night makes the average person happier than making $60,000 more in annual income, astoundingly enough.<ref name="rf614">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/sleep-challenge-2010-slee_b_436341.html</ref> Research has also showed that employees who get enough rest are more productive and successful.<ref name="rf615">Debus, M.E., Deutsch, W., Sonnentag, S., Nussbeck, F.W. (2014). Making flow happen: The effects of being recovered on work-related flow between and within days. Journal of Applied Psychology, 99(4), pp. 713-722.</ref> So if you're middle-aged, shoot to get at least eight hours of sleep per night; the young and elderly should shoot for 9 to 11 hours of sleep per night.<ref name="rf206">http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/how-many-hours-of-sleep-are-enough/faq-20057898</ref><span id="family"></span> |
=== Interacting with Others === | === Interacting with Others === | ||
#Stay close to friends and family. We live in a mobile society, where people follow jobs around the country and sometimes around the world. We do this because we think salary increases make us happier, but in fact, our relationships with friends and family have a far greater impact on happiness. So next time you think about relocating, consider that you'd need a salary increase of over $100,000 USD to compensate for the loss of happiness you'd have from moving away from friends and family.<ref name="rf616">http://www.powdthavee.co.uk/resources/valuing_social_relationships_15.04.pdf</ref> | #Stay close to friends and family. We live in a mobile society, where people follow jobs around the country and sometimes around the world. We do this because we think salary increases make us happier, but in fact, our relationships with friends and family have a far greater impact on happiness. So next time you think about relocating, consider that you'd need a salary increase of over $100,000 USD to compensate for the loss of happiness you'd have from moving away from friends and family.<ref name="rf616">http://www.powdthavee.co.uk/resources/valuing_social_relationships_15.04.pdf</ref> | ||
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#*Give a person in need food, clothing or shelter, if it would be safe. It's so basic, we often forget to think about it, yet so easy to do. | #*Give a person in need food, clothing or shelter, if it would be safe. It's so basic, we often forget to think about it, yet so easy to do. | ||
#*Increase the happiness of those around you by giving small gifts. This will increase your happiness as well - in fact, the one giving the gift usually feels a larger pulse of dopamine (the neurotransmitter responsible for feeling happiness) than the person receiving the gift! <ref name="rf620">http://www.pnas.org/content/103/42/15623.abstract</ref> | #*Increase the happiness of those around you by giving small gifts. This will increase your happiness as well - in fact, the one giving the gift usually feels a larger pulse of dopamine (the neurotransmitter responsible for feeling happiness) than the person receiving the gift! <ref name="rf620">http://www.pnas.org/content/103/42/15623.abstract</ref> | ||
| − | #* Try loving-kindness meditation. This type of meditation stems from Buddhist traditions that focus on increasing compassion for others.<ref name="rf621">http://www.contemplativemind.org/practices/tree/loving-kindness</ref> Studies have shown that this type of meditation can reduce feelings of sadness and depression.<ref name="rf622">Galante, J., Galante, I., Bekkers, M.J., & Gallacher, J. (2014). Effect of kindness-based meditation on health and well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 82(6), pp. 1101-1114.</reF><ref | + | #* Try loving-kindness meditation. This type of meditation stems from Buddhist traditions that focus on increasing compassion for others.<ref name="rf621">http://www.contemplativemind.org/practices/tree/loving-kindness</ref> Studies have shown that this type of meditation can reduce feelings of sadness and depression.<ref name="rf622">Galante, J., Galante, I., Bekkers, M.J., & Gallacher, J. (2014). Effect of kindness-based meditation on health and well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 82(6), pp. 1101-1114.</reF><ref name="rf568" /> |
#[[Make Friends|Make friends.]] In a 2010 study published by Harvard researchers in ''American Sociological Review'', people who went to church regularly reported greater life satisfaction than those who didn't. The critical factor was the quality of friendships made in church. Church-goers who lacked close friends there were no happier than people who never went to church. When researchers compared people who had the same number of close friends, those who had close friends ''from church'' were more satisfied with their lives. This research shows just how important it is to make friends with similar values and outlooks as you. It doesn’t matter what your interests and beliefs are. Finding something you're deeply passionate about and making friends with those who share similar interests will result in the same intimacy. | #[[Make Friends|Make friends.]] In a 2010 study published by Harvard researchers in ''American Sociological Review'', people who went to church regularly reported greater life satisfaction than those who didn't. The critical factor was the quality of friendships made in church. Church-goers who lacked close friends there were no happier than people who never went to church. When researchers compared people who had the same number of close friends, those who had close friends ''from church'' were more satisfied with their lives. This research shows just how important it is to make friends with similar values and outlooks as you. It doesn’t matter what your interests and beliefs are. Finding something you're deeply passionate about and making friends with those who share similar interests will result in the same intimacy. | ||
#* Be a peacemaker. If your ideas and understandings would continue dissension in a family squabble, or in your group of friends, or at a meeting of an organization such as on the job in a workplace, or in a church group, do something else. Be agreeable as much as it is up to you, applying yourself where you can be happy without unnecessary argument, anger and discord. Don't insist on getting your way/preferences in a personality conflict, on shades of meaning and adversarial issues at the expense of the order and peace of the group and your own happiness. | #* Be a peacemaker. If your ideas and understandings would continue dissension in a family squabble, or in your group of friends, or at a meeting of an organization such as on the job in a workplace, or in a church group, do something else. Be agreeable as much as it is up to you, applying yourself where you can be happy without unnecessary argument, anger and discord. Don't insist on getting your way/preferences in a personality conflict, on shades of meaning and adversarial issues at the expense of the order and peace of the group and your own happiness. | ||
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#* Remember that forgiveness isn’t conditional. If you make forgiveness contingent on a particular result or action, you could be waiting forever.<reF>http://www.thepowerofforgiveness.com/understanding/index.html</ref> It can be hard to forgive others because they may never admit or suffer consequences from their wrongdoing. Value forgiveness as a way to let go of something that can hurt you, not as a way to ensure anything happens to the other person. | #* Remember that forgiveness isn’t conditional. If you make forgiveness contingent on a particular result or action, you could be waiting forever.<reF>http://www.thepowerofforgiveness.com/understanding/index.html</ref> It can be hard to forgive others because they may never admit or suffer consequences from their wrongdoing. Value forgiveness as a way to let go of something that can hurt you, not as a way to ensure anything happens to the other person. | ||
#* Forgiveness can be a very spiritual experience. Studies show a clear correlation between “state forgiveness” (the act of forgiving something), self-forgiveness, and a sense of sacredness. By practicing forgiveness, you may end up discovering something sacred about yourself or the world around you.<reF>Davis, D.E., Hook, J.N., Worthington, E.L.., & Hill, P.C. (2013). Research on religion/spirituality and forgiveness: A meta-analytic review. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 5(4), pp.233-241.</ref> | #* Forgiveness can be a very spiritual experience. Studies show a clear correlation between “state forgiveness” (the act of forgiving something), self-forgiveness, and a sense of sacredness. By practicing forgiveness, you may end up discovering something sacred about yourself or the world around you.<reF>Davis, D.E., Hook, J.N., Worthington, E.L.., & Hill, P.C. (2013). Research on religion/spirituality and forgiveness: A meta-analytic review. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 5(4), pp.233-241.</ref> | ||
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== Tips == | == Tips == | ||
