INTRODUCTION

This is one of those times when something is exactly what it sounds like – it’s
all about the science behinds what happiness is and how to experience it,
what happy people do differently, and what we can do feel happier.

This focus on happiness is new to the field of psychology; for many decades –
basically since the foundation of psychology as a science in the mid- to late-
1800s – the focus was on the less pleasant in life. The field focused on
pathology, on the worst-scenario cases, on what can go wrong in our lives.
Although there was some attention paid to wellbeing, success, and high
functioning, the vast majority of funding and research was dedicated to those
who were struggling the most: those with severe mental illness, mental
disorders, or those who have survived trauma and tragedy.
While there’s certainly nothing wrong with doing what we can to raise up those
who are struggling, there was an unfortunate lack of knowledge about what
we can do to bring us all unto a higher level of functioning and happiness.

Positive psychology changed all of that. Suddenly, there was space at the
table for a focus on the positive in life, for “what thoughts, actions, and
behaviours make us more productive at work, happier in our relationships,
and more fulfilled at the end of the day” (Happily Daily, n.d.).
The science of happiness has opened our eyes to a plethora of new findings
about the sunny side of life.
1. Happiness is linked to lower heart rate and blood pressure, as well as
healthier heart rate variability.
2. Happiness can also act as a barrier between you and germs – happier
people are less likely to get sick.
3. People who are happier enjoy greater protection against stress and
release less of the stress hormone cortisol.
4. Happy people tend to experience fewer aches and pains, including
dizziness, muscle strain, and heartburn.
5. Happiness acts as a protective factor against disease and disability (in
general, of course).
6. Those who are happiest tend to live significantly longer than those who
are not.
7. Happiness boosts our immune system, which can help us fight and fend
off the common cold.
8. Happy people tend to make others happier as well, and vice versa –
those who do good, feel good!
9. Smelling floral scents like roses can make us happier.
10. Those who are paid by the hour may be happier than those on
salary (however, these findings are limited, so take them with a grain of
salt!).
11. Relationships are much more conducive to a happy life than
money.
12. Happier people tend to wear bright colours; it’s not certain which
way the relationship works, but it can’t hurt to throw on some brighter
hues once in a while—just in case!
13. Happiness can help people cope with arthritis and chronic pain
better.
14. The holidays can be a stressful time, even for the happiest among
us – an estimated 44%of women and 31% of men get the “holiday
blues.”
15. Happiness is contagious! When we spend time around happy
people, we’re likely to get a boost of happiness as well.
 HAPPINESS, WHAT IS IT?

Happiness is something that people seek to find, yet what defines happiness
can vary from one person to the next. Typically, happiness is an emotional
state characterized by feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment, and
fulfilment. While happiness has many different definitions, it soften described
as involving positive emotions and life satisfaction.
When most people talk about the true meaning of happiness, they might be
talking about how they feel in the present moment or referring to a more
general sense of how they feel about life overall.
Because happiness tends to be such a broadly defined term, psychologists
and other social scientists typically use the term ‘subjective well-being ‘when
they talk about this emotional state. Just as it sounds, subjective well-being
tends to focus on an individual’s overall personal feelings about their life in the
present.
Two key components of happiness (or subjective well-being) are:

• The balance of emotions: Everyone experiences both positive and

negative emotions, feelings, and moods. Happiness is generally linked
to experiencing more positive feelings than negative ones.
 • Life satisfaction: This relates to how satisfied you feel with different
areas of your life including your relationships, work, achievements, and
other things that you consider important.

Another definition of happiness comes from the ancient philosopher Aristotle,

who suggested that happiness is the one human desire, and all other human
desires exist as a way to obtain happiness. He believed that there were four
levels of happiness: happiness from immediate gratification, from
comparison and achievement, from making positive contributions, and from
achieving fulfilment.

How to Cultivate Happiness

While some people just tend to be naturally happier, there are things that you
can do to cultivate your sense of happiness.

Pursue Intrinsic Goals

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.

Enjoy the Moment

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.
 SIGNS OF HAPPINESS

While perceptions of happiness may be different from one person to the next,
there are some key signs that psychologists look for when measuring and
assessing happiness.
Some key signs of happiness include:

• Feeling like you are living the life you wanted

• Going with the flow and a willingness to take life as it comes
• Feeling that the conditions of your life are good
• Enjoying positive, healthy relationships with other people
• Feeling that you have accomplished (or will accomplish) what you want
in life
• Feeling satisfied with your life
• Feeling positive more than negative
• Being open to new ideas and experiences
• Practicing self-care and treating yourself with kindness and compassion
• Experiencing gratitude
• Feeling that you are living life with a sense of meaning and purpose
• Wanting to share your happiness and joy with others

Happy people still feel the whole range of human emotions—anger,

frustration, boredom, loneliness, and even sadness—from time to time. But
even when faced with discomfort, they have an underlying sense of optimism
that things will get better, that they can deal with what is happening, and that
they will be able to feel happy again.

One important thing to remember is that happiness isn’t a state of constant

euphoria. Instead, happiness is an overall sense of experiencing more positive
emotions than negative ones.
 TYPES OF HAPPINESS
There are many different ways of thinking about happiness. For example, the
ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle made a distinction between two different
kinds of happiness: hedonic and eudemonia.

• Hedonia: Hedonic happiness is derived from pleasure. It is most often

associated with doing what feels good, self-care, fulfilling desires,
experiencing enjoyment, and feeling sense of satisfaction.
• Eudemonia: This type of happiness is derived from seeking virtue and
meaning. Important components of eudemonic well-being including
feeling that your life has meaning, value, and purpose. It is associated
more with fulfilling responsibilities, investing in long-term goals,
concern for the welfare of other people, and living up to personal ideals.
Hedonia and eudemonia are more commonly known today in psychology as
pleasure and meaning, respectively. More recently, psychologists have
suggested the addition of the third component that relates to engagement.
These are feelings of commitment and participation in different areas of life.
Research suggests that happy people tend to rank pretty high on eudemonic
life satisfaction and better than average on their hedonic life satisfaction.
Some types of happiness that may fall under these three main categories
include:

• Joy: A often relatively brief feeling that is felt in the present moment
• Excitement: A happy feeling that involves looking forward to something
with positive anticipation
• Gratitude: A positive emotion that involves being thankful
• Pride: A feeling of satisfaction in something that you have
accomplished
• Optimism: This is a way of looking at life with a positive, upbeat outlook
• Contentment: This type of happiness involves a sense of satisfaction
 WHAT IS SECRET OF HAPPINESS?
In my darkest hours, what has saved me again and again is some action
outselling — some instinctive wakefulness to an aspect of the world other
than myself: a helping hand extended to someone else’s struggle, the dazzling
galaxy just discovered millions of light-years, the cardinal trembling in the tree
outside my window. We know this by its mirror-image — to contact happiness
of any kind is “to be dissolved into something complete and great,” something
beyond the bruising boundaries of the ego. The attainment of happiness is
then less a matter of pursuit than of surrender — to the world’s wonder, ready
as it comes.
The world is vast and our own powers are limited. If all our happiness is
bound up entirely in our personal circumstances it is difficult not to demand
of life more than it has to give. And to demand too much is the surest way of
getting even less than is possible. The man* who can forget his worries by
means of a genuine interest in, say, the Council of Trent, or the life history of
stars, will find that, when he returns from his excursion into the impersonal
world, he has acquired a poise and calm which enable him to deal with his
worries in the best way, and he willing the meantime have experienced a
genuine even if temporary happiness.
In a sentiment he would expand in his final years as he contemplated what
makes a fulfilling life, he adds:
The secret of happiness is this: let your interests be as wide as possible, and
let your reactions to the things and persons that interest you be as far as
possible friendly rather than hostile.
Couple this fragment of the wholly nourishing The Conquest of
Happiness with Kurt Vonnegut on the secret of happiness, then revisit Russell
on the key to the good life, how to heal divided world, and his magnificent
Nobel Prize acceptance speech about the four desires driving all human
behaviour .
 WHAT IS POSITIVE FEELINGS?
Before diving too deep into positive emotions, we should start by making
sure we’re all on the same page about emotions—and positive emotions in
particular.
Positive emotions are not simply “happy feelings” that we chase to feel
momentary pleasure; like the more negative emotions, they play a significant
role in everyday life.
There are many ways to define “emotion,” but they generally fall into one of
two camps:
1. Emotions are a state or feeling that cannot be conjured up at will, or;
2. Emotions are attitudes or responses to a situation or an object, like
judgments (Zemach,2001).
Most current scholars fall into the second camp, viewing emotions as the
outcome or result of something, provoked by action, or by being on the
receiving end of an action. The implications of embracing one view over the
other are fascinating, but for the purposes of understanding positive emotions
and their role in psychology, it’s not necessary to choose between the two
camps; whether we can consciously choose our positive emotions or whether
they are a direct result of some action or experience, it is mainly their effects
that are of interest to the positive psychology practitioner. Narrowing down to
positive emotions, there are two popular ways of defining them that loosely
correspond to the two camps noted above. They have been defined as
“multicomponent response tendencies” that last a short period of time
(Fredrickson, 2001), aligning roughly with the second view, and as mental
experiences that are both intense and pleasurable (Cabanac,2002), adhering
more closely to the first view.
Whichever definition you think fits best, the most important things we need to
know about them are (a) which emotions they are, (b) what is their purpose or
point, (c) how we can improve our experience of them, either in quantity or
quality, and (d) what effects they have on us.
Why do We Need Positive Emotions? What Good are
They?

Aside from simply feeling good, positive emotions are also an important piece
of the happiness puzzle.
While you will probably not achieve lasting happiness and wellbeing based
ontemporary,hedonic pleasure alone, positive emotions often provide the
foundation for those fleeting but meaningful moments that make life worth
living; for example, the joy of saying “Idol” to your significant other, the love
that overwhelms you upon holding your new-born for the first time, or the
immense satisfaction you get from achieving something great in your career.
Although positive emotions may seem to have little purpose besides making
us “feel good,” they actually do a few very important jobs.
Positive Emotion Words People Use
Let’s dive right into Point A: which emotions are positive.
The list of positive emotions that people experience is nearly endless. Not all
of these words refer to emotions as scholars understand them, but they are
the words most often used by people in describing their own emotions, which
gives us a good foundation for positive emotions as they are commonly
experienced.

• Joy – a sense of elation, happiness, and perhaps even exhilaration,

often experienced as sudden spike due to something good happening.
• Gratitude – a feeling of thankfulness, for something specific or simply
all-encompassing, often accompanied by humility and even reverence.
• Serenity – a calm and peaceful feeling of acceptance of oneself.
• Interest – a feeling of curiosity or fascination that demands and
captures your attention.
• Hope – a feeling of optimism and anticipation about a positive future.
• Pride – a sense of approval of oneself and pleasure in an achievement,
skill, or personal attribute.
• Amusement – a feeling of light-hearted pleasure and enjoyment, often
accompanied by smiles and easy laughter.
• Inspiration – feeling engaged, uplifted, and motivated by something
you witnessed.
• Awe – an emotion that is evoked when you witness something grand,
spectacular, or breath-taking, sparking a sense of overwhelming
appreciation.
• Elevation – the feeling you get when you see someone engaging in an
act of kindness, generosity, or inner goodness, spurring you to aspire to
similar action.
• Altruism – usually referred to as an act of selflessness and generosity
towards others, but can also describe the feeling you get from helping
others.
• Satisfaction – a sense of pleasure and contentment you get from
accomplishing something or fulfilling a need.
• Relief – the feeling of happiness you experience when an uncertain
situation turns out for the best, or a negative outcome is avoided.

• Affection – an emotional attachment to someone or something,

accompanied by a liking for them and a sense of pleasure in their
company.
• Cheerfulness – a feeling of brightness, being upbeat and noticeably
happy or chipper; feeling like everything is going your way.
• Surprise (the good kind!) – a sense of delight when someone brings
you unexpected happiness or a situation goes even better than you had
hoped.
• Confidence – emotion involving a strong sense of self-esteem and
belief in yourself; can be specific to a situation or activity, or more
universal.
• Admiration – a feeling of warm approval, respect, and appreciation for
someone or something.
• Enthusiasm – a sense of excitement, accompanied by motivation and
engagement.
• Eagerness – like a less intense form of enthusiasm; a feeling of
readiness and excitement for something.
• Euphoria – intense and the all-encompassing sense of joy or
happiness, often experienced when something extremely positive and
exciting happens.
• Contentment – peaceful, comforting, and low-key sense of happiness
and well-being.
• Enjoyment – a feeling of taking pleasure in what is going on around you,
especially insinuations like a leisure activity or social gathering.
• Optimism – positive and hopeful emotion that encourages you to look
forward to a bright future, one in which you believe that things will
mostly work out.
• Happiness – a feeling of pleasure and contentment in the way things
are going; a general sense of enjoyment of and enthusiasm for life.
• Love – Perhaps the strongest of all positive emotions, love is a feeling of
deep and enduring affection for someone, along with a willingness to
put their needs ahead of your own; it can be directed towards an
individual, a group of people, or even all humanity.

This list captures a good deal of the positive emotions we experience, but
it’s certainly not anexhaustive list—I’m sure you can think of at least one or
two more!
 SYSTEM OF HAPPINESS
There’s been a ton of research on the effects of happiness in the workplace.
Much of this is driven by companies who want to find a way to improve
productivity, attract new talent, and get dose of good publicity, all at the same
time. After all, who wouldn’t want to do business with and/or work for a
company full of happy employees? Although the jury is still out on exactly how
happy employees “should” be for maximum productivity, efficiency, and
health, we have learned a few things about the effects of a happy workforce:
People who are happy with their jobs are less likely to leave their jobs, less
likely to be absent, and less likely to engage in counterproductive behaviours
at work. People who are happy with their jobs are more likely to engage in
behaviour that contributes to a happy and productive organization, more likely
to be physically healthy, and more likely to be mentally healthy. Happiness
and job performance are related—and the relationship
There’s been a ton of research on the effects of happiness in the workplace.
Much of this is driven by companies who want to find a way to improve
productivity, attract new talent, and get dose of good publicity, all at the same
time. After all, who wouldn’t want to do business with and/or work for a
company full of happy employees?
Although the jury is still out on exactly how happy employees “should” be for
maximum productivity, efficiency, and health, we have learned a few things
about the effects of a happy workforce:
People who are happy with their jobs are less likely to leave their jobs, less
likely to be absent, and less likely to engage in counterproductive behaviours
at work.
People who are happy with their jobs are more likely to engage in behaviour
that contributes to a happy and productive organization, more likely to be
physically healthy, and more likely to be mentally healthy.

Happiness and job performance are related—and the relationship

Likely works in both directions (e.g., happy peopled a better job and people
who do a good job are more likely tube happy).
Unit- or team-level happiness is also linked to positive outcomes, including
higher customer satisfaction, profit, productivity, employee turnover, and a
safer work environment.

In general, a happier organization is a more productive and successful

organization (Fisher, 2010). To sum up the findings we have so far, it’s easy to
see that happiness at work does matter – for individuals, for teams, and for
organizations overall. We don’t have all the answers about exactly how the
relationship between happiness and productivity works, but we know that
there is a relationship there.
Lately, many human resources managers, executives, and other
organizational leaders have decided that knowing there’s a relationship is
good enough evidence to establish happiness- boosting practices at work,
which means that we have a lot of opportunities to see the impact of greater
happiness at work in the future!
Human ability to experience negative and positive emotions has an
evolutionary perspective and the presence of feelings designed to influence
behaviour should thus be reflected in physiological and immune interactions.
The complex interactions between the immune system and the central
nervous system have been studied extensively in schizophrenia and
depression. On the other hand, effects of positive human emotions,
especially happiness, on physiological parameters and immunity have
received very little attention. Emotions are intimately involved in the initiation
or progression of cancer, HIV, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune
disorders. The specific physiological responses induced by pleasant stimuli
were recently investigated with the immune and endocrine systems being
monitored when pleasant stimuli such as doors and emotional pictures were
presented to subjects. The results revealed that an increase in secretory
immunoglobulin A and a decrease in salivary cortisol were induced by
pleasant emotions.
 Foundation : Emotions , Motivation and nature of well

The basic emotions: basic theories describe between 7 and 10 basic

emotions variously. Joy is one of the basic emotions. However positive
emotions make up less then half of all emotions. Basic emotions can be
combined for example surprise and fear to form awe. Research has shown
that positive and negative emotions are independent meaning developing
more joy does not lead to less sadness. Research suggests that many of our
emotions are unconscious.
The components of emotion: Some of our pleasure comes from the release of
neurotransmitters in the brain. Happiness is associated with dopamine. Other
important transmitters are oxytocin. Physically happiness appears to be
partially located in the left prefrontal cortex. This area is also more active in
meditators.
Neuroplasticity: our brains can continue to change through our experiences.
Parts of the brain structure can change when we practice music or
meditation.
The genetics of emotion: do we inherit our emotions? Research has shown
that genetics gives unsour base emotional responsiveness.Lyyken and
Telligent proposed the happiness set point, meaning that most people return
to a set point after emotional highs and lows, a level determined by genetics.
People whose set point is higher tends toward cheerfulness. And those with
lower set points tend toward pessimism and anxiety.

Lykens and Tellegen proposed the happiness set point, meaning that most
people return to a set point after emotional highs and lows, a level determined
by genetics. People whose set point is higher tends toward cheerfulness. And
those with lower set points tend toward pessimism antianxiety.
Do our genes rule our emotional lives: whilst there is a genetic predisposition
we can influence our wellbeing by creating environments conducive to
happiness. Whilst genetics does predispose behaviour, we are able to
determine our own futures.
nonzerosum goals: goals associated with life satisfaction, involving
commitment to family and friends, social or political involvement, and
altruism. As opposed to zero sum goals where one person benefits at the
expense of others.
Cognition: How we think impacts how we feel: Cognitive therapy helps people
change negative styles. Seligman has found that people can unlearn negative
styles and relearn optimism. Optimism also affects our perception of time.
Future oriented people are able to delay gratification and work toward long-
term goals. Present oriented people live for the moment.

Behaviour: how we act affects how we feel.

Virtues, strengths, character and our emotions. Aristotle came up with a
virtue list that assisted wellbeing, these virtues were based on social indexes.
How we conduct ourselves as members of society determines our character.
Top achievers tend to focus on their strengths, The most important strengths
are signature strengths, traits that people own, celebrate and frequently
exercise.
The strength of love, hope, curiosity, zest, and gratitude, later research
confirmed these same virtues the biggest predictors of life satisfaction.
Working on increasing strengths and decreasing vulnerabilities lead to greater
wellbeing.
Social and cultural influences on emotions. How we experience our emotional
lives depends on our social environment, people regulate their moods based
on their understanding of a social situation.
How we experience emotion is partially determined by the broader culture we
live in. Because well being differs across cultures ESP in collectivist and
individualistic societies therefore Shelton has a multilevel model of well being
that encompasses cultural, personality and biological factors.

Moods and well being :

Moods are different from emotions. Emotions are focused feelings whereas
moods are generally pervasive and maintain general tone. Moods provide us
with a continuous monitoring system. Emotions and moods can impact our
memory, attention, perception, and our experience of self. Positivity helps to
foster a greater adaptation to the world. Positive moods helps us adapt learn
and grow.
Positive psychology and motivation:
Motivation and emotion are closely intertwined. White surmised that people
can be motivated by more then simple drives to full fill physiological needs.
And added that people could be motivated by competence and
accomplishment.
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation:
Intrinsic motivation, when we do something for its own sake. Extrinsic
motivation is where weds something for external reward. Intrinsic is congruent
with self, external is motivated by guilt duty etc. a positive relationship has
been found between being intrinsically motivated and positive outcomes as
opposed to those externally motivated.
 BEING SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING
Subjective well-being (SWB) refers to how people experience and evaluate
their lives and specific domains and activities in their lives. Over the past
decade, interest in information aboutSWB (also called “self-reported
wellbeing”) has increased markedly among researchers, politicians, national
statistical offices, the media, and the public.1 The value of this information
lies in its potential contribution to monitoring the economic, social, and
health conditions of populations and in potentially informing policy decisions
across these domains (Krueger et al.,2009;Layard, 2006).
Economists, psychologists, and sociologists have found a number of distinct
components of SWB to coexist but which are not entirely independent—they
do overlap. These measurement constructs may be thought of in terms of a
continuum, with essentially real-time assessments of experience, emotional
state, or sensations at one end (associated with the shortest time unit) and
overall evaluations of life satisfaction, purpose, or suffering at the other end
(the longest reference periods or no particular reference period).

These temporal overlaps notwithstanding, the components of SWB display

distinct characteristics, often correlate with different sets of variables, and
capture unique aspects of the construct that for various purposes are each
worth monitoring. The terms used to describe SWB have often been
ambiguously applied, which has muddled discussion and possibly slowed
progress in the field. For example, the term “happiness” has been used to
refer to momentary assessments of affect as well as to overall life
evaluations. This absence of precision precludes understanding of the
complexities known to coexist. For example, a person who is engaged in
stressful or difficult activities, such as working toward an education or a job
promotion, may find substantial meaning or satisfaction with life overall; a
person who is generally suffering or lacking hope may experience temporary
reprieve in an enjoyable moment.
 OPTIMAL WELL BEING

As per a Dictionary, Optimal means Most desirable or Most Favourable and

Well-being means testate of being healthy, happy, blissful, prosperous.
Hence, I feel Optimal well-being means the most desirable or most favourable
state of being.
Optimal well-being is multi-dimensional and our ability to live life to the fullest
depends on our Optimal well-being and our Optimal well-being depends on
several factors like physical wellbeing, mental and emotional wellbeing,
spiritual wellbeing, social wellbeing, Intellectual wellbeing, and financial
wellbeing. All these factors are interconnected and if one of these is impacted
adversely, all others will be impacted eventually and a person will enter into a
state of discomfort or disease.
Now let us look at what do all these factors mean.
Physical Well-being: Physical wellbeing means taking care of our physical
body by series of lifestyle choices so that we can avoid preventable illness.
This is important because these days people put premium gasoline in their
BMWs and Benz’s but will put total junk in their body and mind. If your car
breaks down, you can get another one but what happens if your body
breakdown
Mental and Emotional well-being: According to WHO “There is no universally
accepted “definition” of mental well-being. This is probably because mental
well-being may have different definition for different individuals. For some, it
may be attaining contentment or being able to stay happy. For others, it may
be the absence of disease. It also may mean the absence of negative
determinants in the life of an individual or a community. Mental well-being
includes cognitive, emotional, and behavioural responses at a personal level.

In simple words, Mental and Emotional wellbeing is the state of happiness

and peace. It determines how well we can handle stress.
Spiritual Well-being: There is no set definition of spiritual wellbeing either but
spiritual wellbeing means our ability to clearly identify our purpose in life.
Have a definiteness of purpose and having a set of principles, values, and
morals. Follow the path of righteousness by using intellect and awareness to
differentiate between good and evil.
Social well-being: Social well-being means our ability to create and maintain
meaningful and positive relationships.
Intellectual Wellbeing: Intellectual well-being means our ability to pursue
knowledge and skills. It also means our ability to discern between right and
wrong, between good and evil, and between morality and immorality. There is
a saying in India “ जैसी मति वैसी गिी “ which means your destiny depends on
how you use your intellect.
Financial Well-being: As per consumerfinance.gov Financial well-being
means having financial security and financial freedom of choice, in the
present and in the future. It is important to strive for achieving wellness in all
the above-mentioned areas as they all are interconnected.
Imagine your life as a wheel of a bicycle and all these above-mentioned
aspects of overall well- being are the spokes of the wheel. Now you see, how
they are interconnected? If one spoke is weak or broken, it has an adverse
effect on all the other spokes.

IMPACT OF HAPPINESS
Why is happiness so important? Happiness has been shown to predict
positive outcomes in many different areas of life including mental well-being,
physical health, and overall longevity.

• Positive emotions increase satisfaction with life.

• Happiness helps people build stronger coping skills and emotional
resources.
• Positive emotions are linked to better health and longevity. One study
found that people who experienced more positive emotions than
negative ones were more likely to have survived over a 13 year period.
• Positive feelings increase resilience. Resilience helps people better
manage stress and bounce back better when faced with setbacks. For
example, one study found that happier people tend to have lower levels
of the stress hormone cortisol and that these benefits tend to persist
over time.
• People who report having a positive state of well-being are more likely to
engage unhealthy behaviours such as eating fruits and vegetables and
engaging in regular physical exercise.
• Being happy may make help you get sick less often. Happier mental
states are linked to increased immunity.
 HOW TO BE A HAPPIER PERSON ?

Some people seem to have a naturally higher baseline for happiness—one

large-scale study of More than 2,000 twins suggested that around 50% of
overall life satisfaction was due to genetics,10% to external events, and 40%
to individual activities.10
So while you might not be able to control what your “base level” of happiness
is, there are things That you can do to make your life happier and more
fulfilling. Even the happiest of individuals Can feel down from time to time and
happiness is something that all people need to consciously Pursue.

Cultivate Strong Relationships

Social support is an essential part of well-being. Research has found that
good social Relationships are the strongest predictor of happiness. Having
positive and supportive Connections with people you care about can provide
a buffer against stress, improve your health, And help you become a happier
person.
In the Harvard Study of Adult Development, a longitudinal study that looked at
participants over80 years, researchers found that relationships and how
happy people are in those relationships Strongly impacted overall health
So if you are trying to improve your happiness, cultivating solid social
connections is a great Place to start. Consider deepening your existing
relationships and explore ways to make new Friends.

Get Regular Exercise

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.

Show Gratitude

In one study, participants were asked to engage in a writing exercise for 10 to

20 minutes each Night before bed. Some were instructed to write about daily
hassles, some about neutral events, And some about things they were grateful
for. The results found that people who had written About gratitude ha 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.

Find a Sense of Purpose

Research has found that people who feel like they have a purpose have better
well-being and feel More fulfilled. A sense of purpose involves seeing your life
as having goals, direction, and Meaning. It may help improve happiness by
promoting healthier behaviours. Some things you can do to help find a sense
of purpose include:

• Explore your interests and passions

• Engage in prosocial and altruistic causes
 • Work to address injustices
• Look for new things you might want to learn more about

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.
 CHALLENGES OF FINDING HAPPINESS

While seeking happiness is important, there are times when the pursuit of life
satisfaction falls Short. Some challenges to watch for include:

Valuing the Wrong Things

Money may not be able to buy happiness, but there is research that spending
money on things Like experiences can make you happier than spending it on
material possessions.
One study, for example, found that spending money on things that buy time—
such as spending

Money on time-saving services—can increase happiness and life satisfaction.

Rather than overvaluing things such as money, status, or material
possessions, pursuing goals That result in more free time or enjoyable
experiences may have a higher happiness reward.

Not Seeking Social Support

Social support means having friends and loved ones that you can turn to for
support. Research Has found that perceived social support plays an
important role in subjective well-being. For Example, one study found that
perceptions of social support were responsible for 43% of a Person’s level of
happiness.

It is important to remember that when it comes to social support, quality is

more important than Quantity. Having just a few very close and trusted friends
will have a greater impact on your Overall happiness than having many casual
acquaintances.
Thinking of Happiness as an Endpoint
Happiness isn’t a goal that you can simply reach and be done with. It is a
constant pursuit that Requires continual nurturing and sustenance.

One study found that people who tend to value happiness most also tended to
feel the least Satisfied with their lives.
Essentially, happiness becomes such a lofty goal that it becomes virtually
unattainable.
“Valuing happiness could be self-defeating because the more people value
happiness, the more Likely they will feel disappointed,” suggest the authors of
the study.
Perhaps the lesson is to not make something as broadly defined as
“happiness” your goal. Instead, focus on building and cultivating the sort of
life and relationships that bring fulfilment And satisfaction to your life.
It is also important to consider how you personally define happiness.
Happiness is a broad term That means different things to different people.
Rather than looking at happiness as an endpoint, It can be more helpful to
think about what happiness really means to you and then work on small
Things that will help you become happier. This can make achieving these
goals more manageable And less overwhelming.

History of Happiness
Happiness has long been recognized as a critical part of health and well-
being. The “pursuit of Happiness” is even given as an inalienable right in the
U.S. Declaration of Independence. Our Understanding of what will bring
happiness, however, has shifted over time.

Psychologists have also proposed a number of different theories to explain

how people Experience and pursue happiness. These theories include:
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
The hierarchy of needs suggests that people are motivated to pursue
increasingly complex needs. Once more basic needs are fulfilled, people are
then motivated by more psychological and Emotional needs.
At the peak of the hierarchy is the need for self-actualization, or the need to
achieve one’s full Potential. The theory also stresses the importance of peak
experiences or transcendent moments In which a person feels deep
understanding, happiness, and joy.

Positive Psychology
The pursuit of happiness is central to the field of positive psychology.
Psychologists who study Positive psychology are interested in learning ways to
increase positivity and helping people live Happier, more satisfying lives.
Rather than focusing on mental pathologies, the field instead strives to find
ways to help people, Communities, and societies improve positive emotions
and achieve greater happiness.
 CONCLUSION

Happiness is not simply a nice consequence of a successful life. Indeed,

happiness itself is Consequential. Research has shown that there are a
number of beneficial by-products to Experiencing positive emotions
frequently: better relationships, better health, and better Occupational
success.