Dec 15th – Happiness

“Ho Ho Ho!”
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”

December is the time of year when happy people are less under suspicion. 

“It’s the hap, happiest season of all.”

Greetings are blessings this time of year, wishing joy and happiness to others.
“HAPPY  Holidays”
“JOYEUX Noel”
“FELIZ Navidad”
“HAPPY Hanukkah”
“MERRY Christmas”
“JOYOUS Kwanzaa”
“HAPPY Solstice”

So what makes you happy?

A group of scientists studied happiness, and, for our ease of understanding, they have broken happiness down into a list of components and “replicable” behavioral traits. (as only scientists can  )
[As an aside: If one breaks a car down into its components, it is no longer a car]
And what did the researchers discover?

Surprise surprise, they learned that happy people think and act differently than unhappy people!
Here is a partial list of common behavioral traits of people with low stress indicators who characterize themselves as “happy,” “usually happy” or “very happy:”

Tend to take responsibility for their own happiness
Often have a daily ritual which encompasses a spiritual or idealistic quality
Less agitated and aggressive than others; tend to walk away from conflict
Tend to be more present-time oriented
Tend to be more optimistic about the future
Nearly all subjects who rated themselves as happy also indicated that they liked themselves
Flexible. Exhibit less anxiety and emotion when subjected to small delays, changes or inconveniences
Exhibit more interest in and curiosity about new ideas and new people.
Tend to be more aware of their surroundings than other test subjects
Laugh often. Tend to find humor in inconsequential everyday moments
Frequently express gratitude
Tend to be generous in the giving of compliments, courtesies and resources
A large majority of the “happy” group indicated that they believed their happiness to be the result of a personal decision or decisions, and not a product of natural temperament.

Amazing revelation?  Of course not. You already knew this, didn’t you?

But here’s the thing, the scientists who studied happiness did not note any marked increase in their own inner state of happiness.
In other words, knowing about happiness doesn’t make us happy.

Once they gleaned all this data, those conducting the study wanted to see if the physiological and psychological indicators of happiness could be induced and increased in a random sampling of test subjects.

Did you follow that?
The scientists studied happy people and tried to quantify happiness.
Next, the researchers compiled a set of behavioral traits common to happy people.
Armed with this list of behavioral traits, they took a random group of people and basically said, “Here, do this, and tell us what happens.” Also, they measured blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels, before and after.

And what happened? People who practiced the “behaviors of happiness” showed an objectively measurable decrease in stress and indicated subjectively that they felt happier after they did what happy people do.
Can I get a “Du-uh!” ?

What does this mean for us?

With all the wishes of happiness expressed during this season, happiness is still an inside job.
Whatever friends or relatives do or don’t do, the only person who can make us happy is the one we see in the mirror every morning.

Let’s summarize:

• Practice kindness, and you’ll be happier.
• Be thankful, and you’ll be happier.
• Give up control and blame, and you’ll be happier.
• Let go of petty annoyances, and you’ll be happier.
• Bring your awareness to this present moment, and you’ll be happier.
• Look at Life with curiosity and wonder, and you’ll be happier.
• Give to others, and you’ll be happier.
• Connect daily to your Source, and you’ll be happier.

Hmmmm….. Sound familiar? How many ancient texts did I just paraphrase there?

+ Today, pick something from that very scientific list above,
or your own inner list, and
practice a happiness behavior for 5 minutes.    

happiness under the microscope

As for me, I’m off to “find humor in inconsequential everyday moments.”

Choose joy!
Eileen

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