In Search of Happiness

Happiness and Well Being are now much talked about in scientific, psychological, education and political circles. And many experts agree that not only does feeling good make us function better but that people with a more positive style tend to be more engaged, more productive, more creative and have better health (Diener & Seligman 2004).

So it seems our level of Happiness can have a significant affect on our performance, our health and our relationships.

How happy are you?

According to Positive Psychology, we may have more control over our own levels of happiness than we first thought. And that doesn’t mean we need to rush out and eat more chocolate, get married or change jobs to become happier!

Martin Seligman, founder of Positive Psychology, a new branch of psychology which focuses on the study of such things as positive emotions, has demonstrated that it is possible to be happier regardless of our circumstances.

In his book ‘Authentic Happiness’ he introduces a formula for Happiness;

H = S + C + V

where H = overall level of happiness, S = your set range, C = the circumstances of your life and V = factors under your voluntary control.

And research suggests that whilst 50% of our overall happiness might be determined by our psychological make up, only 10% is determined by the circumstances of our life such as salary and marital status, leaving a significant 40% within our own sphere of influence.

This means that each of us can train ourselves to feel happier. Changing the way we think about things is one way.

Here are a few more ideas for starters.

1 Identify 3 things in your life that you feel happy with right now
2 Identify 3 things about yourself that you feel happy with right now
3 Reframe negative thinking into positive thinking
4 Look for something good in everything and everyone
5 Meditate
6 Notice how much you’ve achieved, not just what else is still to be done
7 Find opportunities to help others

In answer to the question ‘how happy are you?’ try out the on-line questionnaires at www.authentichappiness.com

And to learn more about how to increase your levels of happiness, satisfaction and fulfilment give us a call on 020 8546 4012 or email info@deniseparker.com