Do you know someone who is happy? Do you know why? Whether you believe someone to be happy because of wealth, a great relationship, a fulfilling career, or more so, in spite of difficulties with the above, understanding and learning how one is happy, while another in similar circumstances is not, is worth exploring. 50% of our happiness was determined before we were born by our genetic code.The remaining 50% can be enhanced dramatically through understanding what is unique to happy people that we know.
Resilience, the belief that you control your life, and believing that something good will happen to you is a common denominator to happy people. Resilience is your ability to confront and handle something bad that happens to you. It leads to a sense of control over your life. Believing that your life is determined by your actions reinforces the belief that you can rebuild that which was destroyed, and control your destiny, which increases your chances of succeeding in life and become happier. Believing that your mistakes were also under your control helps you realize that you have the power to fix them. Self fulfilling prophecies do happen. Believing that something good will happen to you can become a self fulfilling prophecy.
The happiness rules:
- Happiness is not the same thing as pleasure.
- Happiness comes from a small pleasure with a great meaning.
- Meaning is achieved from hard work.
- Happiness comes from feeling that your work is important and meaningful.
- Happiness is achieved when we feel that you are contributing something important.
- Happiness can come from being in a healthy relationship.
- Happiness is enhanced by spiritual beliefs and practices.
- Happiness does not come from a lot of money.
Achieving happiness is a complex process for most of us. It requires hard work, determination, and belief that we can obtain it.
Please let me know your thoughts, feelings and experience with happiness.
This blog post was inspired by a TV show on happiness that I recently watched on “The Israeli Channel”.