Introduction to Happiness
As virtually everyone in my gmail address book is now aware, I’ve recently been inspired by the research presented in “The How of Happiness” to inform my friends about happiness in general. The book has made me think about what makes people happy, what makes me happy, and how I could be even happier. According the The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, I am happier then the average American by .3 points. But I didn’t need a survey to know that. After all, I’m a newlywed, I have a rewarding job, I’m well connected to my church, and I have great friends and family, what’s not to be happy about? But, as it turns out, one’s circumstances in life (for example, those factors I just mentioned), account for only 10% of one’s overall lasting happiness. The other 50% is hereditary, and 40% is controlled by us. For a complete explanation, you should probably read the book. But for now, the important thing is, regardless of how great someone’s life might appear to be, that doesn’t mean they are necessarily happy. Call me strange, but I want to be as happy as possible, so I’m going to use this opportunity to create an attitude of gratitude. One of the easiest ways someone can increase their level of happiness is to simply write about what they are grateful for on a weekly basis. Although it doesn’t need to be public to work, I think I could use the extra motivation, not want to “let down my virtual audience.” I started a notebook at work, so my first entry will be from a few weeks ago. I can’t wait to see how long this could last.
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