Documentary 3-Happy

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched-they must be felt with the heart."-Helen Keller

Last night I watched a documentary about happiness, called simply "Happy".  It was about happiness and what scientifically makes us happy. 

I took notes:

•Happiness improves all areas of your life.

•50% of happiness is genetic.  10% is your circumstances (money, job, family, etc).  40% is intentional activity or behavior.  This means that 40% of how you feel is what you decide to do and is controlled, by YOU. 

•Dopamine has a lot to do with your happiness, and as you start to age you lose it.  If you keep doing things that make you happy, like exercise and laughing, your dopamine production goes up and you keep it for longer.

•There's something called "Flowing".  This is the practice of getting "into a zone" and doing something you love, that you could do forever.  People who do this on regular basis are happier than those who don't.

•People overestimate "good things" and "bad things" happening to them.  Neither lasts as long as you originally think that they will.  They're temporary highs or lows and people actually do have the capability of rebounding and growing through rough times.  There's no pleasure without pain.

•Your income: The national income keeps rising but the happiness that people feel is actually staying the same. There's a big difference in your happiness when you make 20K versus 50K a year, but there's not a huge difference between 50K and $50 billion.  Plus, there's something called the Hedonic Treadmill.  The more you have in excess leaves you wanting more and more.  Have you ever noticed that the more you make, the more you spend and you're really not any happier?  This is because you’re walking on the Hedonic Treadmill.

•There are two kids of goals.  Extrinsic and Intrinsic.  Extrinsic are money, image or status, and popularity.  Intrinsic are personal growth, relationships, and the desire to help the world be a better place.   The two are competing and scientists have found that people who are more successful in their intrinsic goals are happier.  (No surprise to me.)

So this is crazy....the people of Japan are actually working themselves to DEATH.  It's called Karoshi.  It's very common for people to die of exhaustion from working long hours.  I mean, that is nuts, right?  So remember.....relax sometimes.

Other things that make us happy:

·         Meditation

·         Cooperating, not competing

·         Laughing

·         Counting your blessings once a week and doing things for others

So knowing all of this, SMILE today!  Talk to people who love you and whom you love.  Count your blessings, do something good for your body, and take five minutes of silence to appreciate yourself and your life.