We all want to be happy. But we sometimes think of happiness as a thing that happens to us — something we have no control over. It’s easy to link the idea of happiness with the situation we’re in. We might tell ourselves, “If only things were different, then I’d be happy.”
But that’s not really how happiness works. Research shows that just a small portion of happiness (only about 10%) depends on a person’s situation. So where does most of our happiness come from?
There are many definitions for the word “ happy.” Different people will define it differently. Some people might say that when you have plenty of money, you will have a happy life. Some might argue that when you are successful in your work, you will live happily. However, others might believe that you will have a blissful life when your family members get along well with each other. To me, I believe that family love is the most important ingredient to lead a happy life.
Whether I am successful or not is not a big deal. I just have to make sure that I try my best at work place. I want my family know how to love, care and understand with other members in the family. I believe that most people also want to have a happiness in the family as well. I strongly believe that everyone can have a happy life.
Happiness has been shown to predict positive outcomes in many different areas of life.
- Positive emotions increase satisfaction with life.
- Happiness helps people build stronger coping skills and emotional resources.
- Positive emotions are linked to better health and longevity. One study found that people who experienced more positive emotions than negative ones were more likely to have survived over a 13 year period.
- Positive feelings increase resilience. Resilience helps people better manage stress and bounce back better when faced with setbacks. For example, one study found that happier people tend to have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and that these benefits tend to persist over time.
- People who report having a positive state of well-being are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors such as eating fruits and vegetables and engaging in regular physical exercise.
- Being happy may make help you get sick less often. Happier mental states are linked to increased immunity.
