Happiness is as happiness does

We all want happiness. Its pursuit was deemed so vital an ‘unalieable’ right by our founding fathers that they penned it into our country’s charter.  But what exactly is this thing called happiness?  How can you describe it?  How can you quantify it?  These questions and more exist at the core of Positive Psychology, or the Science of Happiness. 

The preponderance of 20^th Century psychology has dealt with the “disease model” of the mind, focusing on what makes human beings mentally unhealthy. Abraham Maslow’s “self-actualization” brought attention to qualities of the optimal experience.  But it wasn’t until 1998 that happiness became a focus of study, when Martin Seligman delivered an address to the American Psychological Association, calling for his colleagues’ return to the roots of their discipline, identifying and realizing what makes for an extraordinary human life experience.  

Their subsequent work has produced findings many consider surprising.  For instance, most blue-collar working folk are as happy as rich people, and teenagers from working class families describe themselves as happier than teenagers from affluent families.  Surveys in many countries conducted over decades indicate that, on average, happiness levels have not increased over the last four decades, despite significant increases in real income per capita. 

Research bears out that once your basic needs are met, additional income does little to raise your sense of life satisfaction. Same goes for education, weather and youth.  Even spending time with the kids failed to top the charts.  When it comes to marriage, “it’s complicated.”  Married people tend to be happier than singles, but it is suggested that may be because they were happier to begin with.  As for success, it has been concluded that happiness brings success, not the other way around

The Road to Happyville

So what then makes us happiest? Faith, family friends.  In a world where so many of us relate electronically it is noteworthy that Positive Psychologists stress the importance of social skills and support through close interpersonal ties, however those are cultivated.  

After reading a dozen or so self-proclaimed definitive “Top #” lists promising the keys to the happiness kingdom, here is what they collectively boiled down to when it comes to how to get happy.  (put in c’mon get happy vid here)

• gratitude
• acts of altruism
• relationships, emotional intimacy... and forgiveness 
• meaningful vocations or avocations. getting involved in something bigger than yourself
• savoring the present moment
• meditation

So are there any benefits to this happiness business above and beyond the obvious?  Plenty. Happiness seems to have nearly magical properties.  Just as stress can trigger ill health, so can friendship and happiness have a salubrious effect. The current science suggests it leads to longer life, better health, greater resilience and improved performance in most pursuits. It can add 9 years to life... that’s 3 times as many years as the increase in life expectancy associated with quitting smoking!

And the best news of all?  It’s highly contagious!

What makes you happy?  Please share your thoughts and joy on Facebook. 

The love affair that never ends

"True love stories never have endings."
 ~Richard Bach

I jumped out of bed at 5am prepared to be productive and professional... (all right, those who know me... no snickering at the 'professional' part)

I am in week 2 of my Monday host duties with Women as Visionaries and had every intention of blogging as pre-planned on the topic of each individual's distinct, intrinsic, and indiminishable value. But...
I got a bit sidetracked...
by Valentine's Day.
[Did any of you just sigh or roll your eyes?]

The commercial promotion of the 'day of love' as well as the searing reminder that one does not have a love interest with whom to share it.... or perhaps not the 'one' for whom he or she yearns most... has caused not a little in the way of tears, melancholy and pathos in general... not to mention many a Top 40 hit.  But even though I have had very little true romance in my own life and am not in a romantic relationship at present, I absolutely relish Valentine's Day.  To me it represents the opportunity to express love to all... not just the one.

Remember as a grade schooler, how you would give out Valentine's to the whole class?  That is the kind of Valentine attitude I share and celebrate -- a recognition and appreciation of everyone in my sphere whom I adore.  To me the day serves as a reminder to pause for a moment, and thoughtfully regard our loved ones with an eye to why we care about them so deeply -- and what makes them so unique and indispensable to us.

Even more thrilling is the thought that at that very moment someone somewhere is thinking the same of you.  You are unique to someone.  You are indispensable.  You are loved!

And why? It is so beautifully simple.
Because you are you. ♥

Vision's fine line

Each Monday in February I will be serving as 'host' for the new InJoy series on the Facebook pages run by Woman as Visionaries, with Lore Raymond.  The activity looks to afford opportunities to glean inspiration, share ideas, make some lovely new connections, and hopefully learn a thing or two.  As a nod to the overall theme, my focus topic during the month is EnJoying Who You Truly Are.  In considering how to approach the project, I began by regarding the audience to whom I'd be speaking -- visionaries.

These days, if you say the word visionary what most often comes to mind is someone like Steve Jobs... or for a SoCal kid like me, Walt Disney.  These were men who saw beyond the limitations of what had been deemed the way to do things up until any given moment. They saw what was possible... and determined to make it not only doable, but practical.  In so doing, they have left not only laudable personal legacies, but they grew successful businesses that have thrived after their passing, and helped create products that delight millions of fans... many of whom are willing to wait in long lines in order to be a part of the magic these men have made real.

Interestingly, shrewd businesses accumen and fiscal forecasting do not rank highly on the definitions of the word they exemplify.

The dictionary offers this:

vi·sion·ar·y   [vizh-uh-ner-ee] adjective, noun, plural -ar·ies. 

adjective 1. given to or characterized by fanciful, not presently workable, or unpractical ideas, views, or schemes: a visionary enthusiast. 2. given to or concerned with seeing visions. 3. belonging to or seen in a vision. 4. unreal; imaginary: visionary evils. 5. purely idealistic or speculative; impractical; unrealizable: a visionary scheme. 

noun 7. a person of unusually keen foresight. 8. a person who sees visions. 9. a person who is given to audacious, highly speculative, or impractical ideas or schemes; dreamer.

If this term is so closely related to flights of impracticable fancy... to that which is unreal and imaginary, why then do we admire and strive to emulate people who we describe as visionary?  Is it not because of their pioneer spirit... can-do attitude... willingness to take risks... and unflagging belief in the practicality of industrious magic....  as born out time and again by their proven successes?

People such as these show us that successful business need not just be about making a buck.  It can be about making a difference.... even making people happy!