Welcome to The Surprising Science of Happiness! What you will find here are simple but tried and tested truths that make me HAPPY and as you read along I hope they put a smile on your face as well.
Growing up my mom always asked me one question - Are You Happy? and that always irritated me. When I look back at those times I wonder why? because truly it should have uplifted me, that one beautiful human being, one unconditionally loving soul was constantly thinking about my happiness. As I reflect back to my childhood, all my memories are those of my mother smiling, laughing, cheering, joyfully running around the park with us, cracking jokes only we understood (my sister & I), sneaking us out to restaurants for fabulous lunches and so many more happy moments. My mom truly created joy for us, she enjoyed being a mother and made every moment count.
My beautiful sister was born with mum's happy gene. Always smiling, always bright, always filled with happiness for life. I have never truly thought about what makes these amazing women in my life so cool, so awesome to be with and so powerfully inspiring.
Today, it suddenly came to me, so simple yet so profound, the answer is - Gratitude. They are constantly living in a state of gratitude.
Guess what? Psychologists have scientifically proven that being in a state of gratitude leads to happiness. Don't believe me - I give you two routes read the data copy pasted below from William F. Doverspike, Ph.D. or watch the video (from Soul Pancake- An Experiment in Gratitude)
Using another intervention known as "three good things in life," Seligman, Steen, and Peterson (2005) asked a different group of participants to write down three things that went well each day. In addition, they were asked to provide a causal explanation for each good thing. The participants were instructed to perform the exercise every night for one week. At the one-month follow-up, participants using this exercise were happier and less depressed than they had been at baseline. More importantly, they stayed happier and less depressed at the three-month and six-month follow-ups.
Today, it suddenly came to me, so simple yet so profound, the answer is - Gratitude. They are constantly living in a state of gratitude.
Guess what? Psychologists have scientifically proven that being in a state of gratitude leads to happiness. Don't believe me - I give you two routes read the data copy pasted below from William F. Doverspike, Ph.D. or watch the video (from Soul Pancake- An Experiment in Gratitude)
William F. Doverspike,
Ph.D.drwilliamdoverspike.com 770-913-0506
(excerpt from this published paper below)
Psychological research suggests that happiness is more related to being grateful for what we already have. Gratitude is a subject that has received considerable attention in psychological research. The efficacy of gratitude interventions has been studied in clinical samples (Duckworth, Steen, & Seligman, 2005), student populations (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006), and general adult populations (Seligman, Steen, & Peterson, 2005).
Gratitude visit. In a placebo controlled empirical study, Seligman, Steen, and Peterson (2005) validated the gratitude visit as a way of increasing happiness. Compared to participants who were instructed to focus on a time in life when they were at their best and to reflect on their strengths, participants who engaged in a gratitude visit reported more happiness for one month after the intervention. Participants were given one week to write and then deliver a letter of gratitude in person to someone who had been especially kind to them but who had never been properly thanked. They were instructed to perform the exercise for only one week. The gratitude visit involves three basic steps: First, think of someone who has done something important and wonderful for you, yet who has not been properly thanked. Next, reflect on the benefits you received from this person, and write a letter expressing your gratitude for all he or she did for you. Finally, arrange to deliver the letter personally, and spend some time with this person talking about what you wrote.
Using another intervention known as "three good things in life," Seligman, Steen, and Peterson (2005) asked a different group of participants to write down three things that went well each day. In addition, they were asked to provide a causal explanation for each good thing. The participants were instructed to perform the exercise every night for one week. At the one-month follow-up, participants using this exercise were happier and less depressed than they had been at baseline. More importantly, they stayed happier and less depressed at the three-month and six-month follow-ups.
So, science says be grateful! I am off to make a call to my mommy and create a gratitude list - What will you do? Do leave me a note I would love to hear from you! See you next time.
