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Explore context. Explore the latest strategic trends, research and analysis. Six in 10 adults across 27 countries are happy despite the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new Ipsos survey. Aggregate happiness levels are largely unchanged from the previous year. China is the happiest of the 27 countries surveyed. These are feelings of commitment and participation in different areas of life.
Research suggests that happy people tend to rank pretty high on eudaimonic life satisfaction and better than average on their hedonic life satisfaction. All of these can play an important role in the overall experience of happiness, although the relative value of each can be highly subjective. Some activities may be both pleasurable and meaningful, while others might skew more one way or the other.
For example, volunteering for a cause you believe in might be more meaningful than pleasurable. Watching your favorite tv show, on the other hand, might rank lower in meaning and higher on pleasure.
Some types of happiness that may fall under these three main categories include:. While some people just tend to be naturally happier, there are things that you can do to cultivate your sense of happiness. Achieving goals that you are intrinsically motivated to pursue, particularly ones that are focused on personal growth and community, can help boost happiness. Research suggests that pursuing these types of intrinsically-motivated goals can increase happiness more than pursuing extrinsic goals like gaining money or status.
Studies have found that people tend to over earn—they become so focused on accumulating things that they lose track of actually enjoying what they are doing.
So, rather than falling into the trap of mindlessly accumulating to the detriment of your own happiness, focus on practicing gratitude for the things you have and enjoying the process as you go. When you find yourself stuck in a pessimistic outlook or experiencing negativity, look for ways that you can reframe your thoughts in a more positive way.
People have a natural negativity bias , or a tendency to pay more attention to bad things than to good things. This can have an impact on everything from how you make decisions to how you form impressions of other people.
Discounting the positive—a cognitive distortion where people focus on the negative and ignore the positive—can also contribute to negative thoughts. Reframing these negative perceptions isn't about ignoring the bad. Instead, it means trying to take a more balanced, realistic look at events. It allows you to notice patterns in your thinking and then challenge negative thoughts.
Happiness has been shown to predict positive outcomes in many different areas of life. Even the happiest of individuals can feel down from time to time and happiness is something that all people need to consciously pursue. Exercise is good for both your body and mind. Physical activity is linked to a range of physical and psychological benefits including improved mood. Numerous studies have shown that regular exercise may play a role in warding off symptoms of depression, but evidence also suggests that it may also help make people happier, too.
In one analysis of past research on the connection between physical activity and happiness, researchers found a consistent positive link. Even a little bit of exercise produces a happiness boost—people who were physically active for as little as 10 minutes a day or who worked out only once a week had higher levels of happiness than people who never exercised. In one study, participants were asked to engage in a writing exercise for 10 to 20 minutes each night before bed.
The results found that people who had written about gratitude had increase positive emotions, increased subjective happiness, and improve life satisfaction.
As the authors of the study suggest, keeping a gratitude list is a relatively easy, affordable, simple, and pleasant way to boost your mood. Try setting aside a few minutes each night to write down or think about things in your life that you are grateful for. Research has found that people who feel like they have a purpose have better well-being and feel more fulfilled. It may help improve happiness by promoting healthier behaviors.
Some things you can do to help find a sense of purpose include:. This sense of purpose is influenced by a variety of factors, but it is also something that you can cultivate. It involves finding a goal that you care deeply about that will lead you to engage in productive, positive actions in order to work toward that goal. Click below to listen now.
While seeking happiness is important, there are times when the pursuit of life satisfaction falls short. Some challenges to watch for include:. For example, neuroscientists found that the left frontal cortex is an area in the brain that is highly correlated to happiness — meaning it becomes more active in happy individuals then those who are less happy.
The idea that genes may play such a large role in our happiness can sometimes seem daunting to those who are unhappy. Could it be that some of us are born to be depressed? In what ways can we exercise this control of our mental well being? It is said to be a state of being that is not only skillful, but something that can lead to a greater satisfaction with life. When we can find our passions and pursue them we add more meaning to our lives and we give our self a greater purpose.
It has been shown that many of the happiest regions in the world are also deeply spiritual, and it is this ability to identify with a higher being that gives some the extra enthusiasm and motivation to embrace life to the fullest. The meaningful life is certainly not something to be ignored when cultivating happiness. The takeaway message is that happiness is something that can be cultivated from the inside; it is not something solely dependent on external conditions. Through our behaviors, and even how we perceive life, we can make serious changes.
Seeing old people holding hands Driving a car with the window down on a sunny day Winning a tenner Booking a holiday Listening to your favourite song Finding a bargain Seeing an old friend Picnic in the park Getting promoted Romantic night out Hearing a song that reminds you of your past Looking back at old photos Making a new friend Getting a quiet moment to yourself Walks in the country Hearing a baby laugh
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