Happiness Can be Learned
Long-term studies aim to pinpoint, prolong whatever it takes to make humans feel good.
Malcolm Ritter / Associated Press
NEW YORK -- For decades, a widely accepted view has been that people are stuck with a basic setting on their happiness thermostat. It says the effects of good or bad life events like marriage, a raise, divorce, or disability will simply fade with time.
But recent long-term studies have revealed that the happiness thermostat is more malleable than the popular theory maintained.
One new study showing change in happiness levels followed thousands of Germans for 17 years. It found that about a quarter changed significantly over that time in their basic level of satisfaction with life.
Other studies show long-lasting shadows associated with specific life events like serious disability, divorce, widowhood and getting laid off. The boost from getting married, on the other hand, seems to dissipate after about two years, says psychologist Richard E. Lucas of Michigan State University.
Many people want to be happier. What can they do? That's where research by Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania and others comes in.
Seligman's group is testing several exercises. Among them:
Every night, think of three good things that happened that day and analyze why they occurred.
Discover your personal strengths and choose the five most prominent ones. Then, every day for a week, apply one or more of your strengths in a new way. Work on savoring the pleasing things in your life, like a warm shower or a good breakfast, Seligman colleague Acacia Parks said.
Write down what you want to be remembered for, to help you bring your daily activities in line with what's important to you.
In fact, happiness probably is really about work and striving, said psychologist Ed Diener of the University of Illinois.
"Happiness is the process, not the place," he said.
Malcolm Ritter / Associated Press
NEW YORK -- For decades, a widely accepted view has been that people are stuck with a basic setting on their happiness thermostat. It says the effects of good or bad life events like marriage, a raise, divorce, or disability will simply fade with time.
But recent long-term studies have revealed that the happiness thermostat is more malleable than the popular theory maintained.
One new study showing change in happiness levels followed thousands of Germans for 17 years. It found that about a quarter changed significantly over that time in their basic level of satisfaction with life.
Other studies show long-lasting shadows associated with specific life events like serious disability, divorce, widowhood and getting laid off. The boost from getting married, on the other hand, seems to dissipate after about two years, says psychologist Richard E. Lucas of Michigan State University.
Many people want to be happier. What can they do? That's where research by Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania and others comes in.
Seligman's group is testing several exercises. Among them:
Every night, think of three good things that happened that day and analyze why they occurred.
Discover your personal strengths and choose the five most prominent ones. Then, every day for a week, apply one or more of your strengths in a new way. Work on savoring the pleasing things in your life, like a warm shower or a good breakfast, Seligman colleague Acacia Parks said.
Write down what you want to be remembered for, to help you bring your daily activities in line with what's important to you.
In fact, happiness probably is really about work and striving, said psychologist Ed Diener of the University of Illinois.
"Happiness is the process, not the place," he said.
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