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Looking after ourselves

suzanne
Senior Contributor

The Happiness Habit

Below is an article SANE published recently about happiness.  I appreciate that this Forum is a place for people struggling with their mental health and so there are days when happiness will seem like a truly impossible goal.  But I don't think we should dismiss the possibility entirely.  
 
What do you think?  Is there room for any of the happiness habits within your own life?
 
 
 
3 REPLIES 3

Re: The Happiness Habit

The happiness habit - eight tips to boost your happiness

Happiness
 

How many times have you heard someone say that a lottery win would make them happy?  How many times have you thought this yourself?

Lottery winners have actually been the subject of research studies.  What we know from this research is their happiness is only boosted for about six months.  After that first rush of euphoric spending they return to their previous levels of happiness.  So if they were unhappy before winning, they’re likely to be wealthier but not happier people. 


To explain this, psychologists have coined the term ‘hedonistic adaptation’.  It means that our circumstances and possessions can only boost our happiness temporarily.  Once we get used to them, or notice that other people have things that are even nicer, they stop making us happier.

Have you ever bought a new car and felt a real rush of joy every time you drive?  Then weeks down the track you notice that someone has put a dent in the door.  Suddenly the car becomes a source of anxiety as you scan it for further damage and fret about the loss of its perfection.  Your new car is no longer contributing to your happiness.  It becomes an ordinary part of your life.

Research suggests that we have a happiness ‘set-point’ that we return to after good and bad events.  The upside of this set-point is that we can be remarkably resilient following bad news.  The downside is that we can’t reach a point where constant happiness is guaranteed, even if that were possible.  Of course this doesn't relate to the experience of having a mental illness such as depression or anxiety, which affects our mood, but to the everyday feeling of happiness that most of us strive for.

This everyday happiness is not only a reflection of our circumstances, but something largely under our control – therefore a daily habit.

So to boost your everyday happiness from its set-point, here are eight tips proven by research to help you develop positive habits.

 

1 - Savour the ordinary moments in life.  The smell and taste of your first coffee.  The feeling of sunshine on your face.  The moment when you slide into your soft warm bed at night.

2 - Start a dinnertime ritual of saying three things you enjoyed or appreciated that day.  Gratitude is connected to happiness.  Keeping a gratitude journal is another good option.

3 - Practise small acts of kindness.  Pop a funny post card in the mail to cheer up a friend.  Express some appreciation to a colleague who tends to be overlooked.  The happiness boost we get from helping other people is often far greater than the pleasure they receive.

4 - Do not compare your life to anyone else’s.  Your best friend may have just bought an apartment you would love to live in.  You feel happy for her, but jealous at the same time.  Remember focusing on the discrepancy between your lives will reduce your happiness.

5 - Squeeze in a regular walk, or exercise you enjoy.  People who exercise regularly are happier than those who don’t.

6 - Have a meaningful goal to work towards.  It doesn’t have to relate to work or study.  Put together a digital family album, or grow vegetables.  If it’s important to you, it will boost your happiness.

7 - Keep a rein on your tendency to ruminate.  Bad things happen to us all, but the happiest amongst us keep their focus on the present, rather than dwelling on the past.

8 - Invite your best mate out for a coffee no matter how busy you are.  Go to that barbeque even if you don’t feel in the mood.  Socialising with people we care for on a regular basis provides the biggest happiness boost of all.

 

The great thing about these strategies is that they are available to us on a daily basis.  We don’t have to wait for a new relationship or a promotion to feel happy.  We can take control of our happiness and make it a daily habit.

Remember to mix it up.  Finding new ways to engage in happiness habits will give you the biggest boost of all.

Re: The Happiness Habit

Hi @suzanne,

 

I Totally agree,  i don't have too many happy moments in life, but i find nature brings me so much peace, something as simple as birds foraging for food, etc.

 

I often thought money would make me happy, but i agree, so many wealthy people are depressed, so money is not everything.

 

I have seen so many of my family compare themselves to their peers, never being able to meet the great expectations of wealth and things.  the simple things in life are often the best.

 

Thank you @suzanne for the good tips,  it is good to see some good stories on here every now and again.

 

Take Care

 

Jacques

Re: The Happiness Habit

I went through a big phase of reading all the books about how to be happy and incorporated a lot of the techniques, such as the ones in this article. It definitely helps.

 

This showed up in my Facebook feed, and I think it is apt. (Make sure you follow the instruction in the very last line!)

 

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