Winter 2015

It’s not about being happy all the time
Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson has spent more than 20 years investigating the relatively uncharted terrain
of positive emotions, which she says can make us healthier and happier if we take time to cultivate them.
Negative emotions, says Fredrickson, are necessary for us to flourish, and positive emotions are by nature
subtle and fleeting. The secret is not to deny their short term nature but to find ways to increase their quantity.
She recommends that, rather than try to eliminate negativity, we balance negative feelings with positive ones –
and recommends a 3-to-1 “positivity ratio” as a key tipping point 9 .
Is my happiness level set or can I
increase it?
Whether we can increase our happiness levels or if it is set
at birth has been the topic of much debate. The expert in this
field, Sonya Lyubomirsky, has concluded that around
50 percent of happiness is determined by our genes and
10 percent by our life circumstance, but 40 percent depends
on our daily activities 10 . So that means that what you choose to
do can have a significant influence on your happiness levels.
How can I increase my levels
of happiness?
The science of positive psychology has explored a whole
range of ways in which we can increase our ‘positivity ratio’
and so increase our happiness. These include:
• Nurture your close relationships. A key finding from
the research is that connections to others are central to
being happy – particularly those that we feel close to 11 .
• Be grateful. Multiple researchers including Robert
Emmons 12 shows the power of being grateful for what
we have on a regular basis. People who keep ‘gratitude
journals’ feel more optimism and greater satisfaction with
their lives. Research also shows that writing a ‘gratitude
letter’ to someone you’ve never properly thanked brings a
major boost of happiness.
• Practice kindness. Neuroscience research shows that
when we do nice things for others, our brains light up in
areas associated with pleasure and reward 13 .
• Move your body. Regular physical activity increases
happiness and self-esteem and reduces anxiety and
stress, even lifting symptoms of depression. Among the
studies that support the theory that exercise directly causes
improved mental well-being (as opposed to vice-versa) is
one that looked at the effect of exercise on older adults
with clinical depression (Blumenthal et al., 1999). The
authors compared exercise to a commonly prescribed antidepressant
medication (Zoloft), and found that both were
equally effective in reducing depressive symptoms. In fact,
Lyubomirsky argues that exercise may very well be the most
effective instant happiness booster of all activities 14 .
• Get enough sleep. Less sleep is consistently linked
to lower levels of happiness 15 . One study showed that
an extra hour of sleep can boost happiness more than a
$60,000 raise 16 . There is specific research on the impact
of sleep on happiness with children and adolescents.
One study consisted of 68,418 children and adolescents,
and the participants logged in journals and completed
questionnaires. The researchers found that inadequate sleep
was associated with family issues, school trouble, physical
symptoms, and depressive symptoms 17 .
• Make conscious time to sit still. Much research
exists to show the great benefits for those who practice
mindfulness. Mindfulness is the moment-by-moment
awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and external
circumstances—and those who practice it not only have
stronger immune systems but are more likely to be happy
and enjoy greater life satisfaction as well as being less
hostile or anxious. Pioneering research has found that
a basic eight-week mindfulness training program can
significantly improve our physical and psychological
well-being 18 .
• Know that possessions and money are not
related to happiness. While we need to be able to
meet our needs for comfort, safety, shelter and food, money
does not make us happy 19 . Research by Richard Easterlin
has found that in the long run, countries don’t become
happier as they become wealthier 20 . Perhaps that’s why, in
general, people who prioritise material things over other
values are much less happy .
So, not only is being happy your birthright, it is also in the
best interest of you and those around you. It makes you
healthier, have better relationships, be more effective at work,
live longer and be more creative. While we can’t be happy
all the time, there are simple things we can do to increase
our ratio of positive emotions. These include making time for
those we are close to, taking regular moments to think about
what you have to be grateful for and also expressing your
appreciation when you feel it, being kind to others, getting
regular exercise, getting enough sleep, taking time to sit
and focus on the present moment and understand that more
possessions will not make you happy.
If you are interested in exploring these ideas and strategies
in more depth, please join me at the ‘Happy and Effective’
workshop at a venue near you soon. This will be am exciting
day with lots of strategies to increase your happiness. This
is important not just for you personally but also because
being happier can improve your personal and professional
relationships and the service that you provide to children.
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IN THE LOOP