November 2011 - The Galena Territory

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Territory Times
“Just for the Health of It”
Thoughts on Happiness
By NICKI RAAZ
We listened as he talked with
his Dad about happiness. He
was sharing ideas from a book
he had read on his Kindle, between
patrols on a mountain in
Afghanistan. Although very seriously
injured, the young Marine
seemed content as he described
how people can make their own
happiness.
Later, as I listened to his positive
plans for the future, despite
his life-changing injuries, I knew
that I needed to check out the book
he was suggesting and do some
thinking about happiness.
The book that our nephew was
recommending is “The 80/20
Principle” by Richard Koch. This
theory is known in business and
economics by various names, in-
cluding the
“Principle of
Least Effort.”
In short, it
states that
r e s o u r c e s
(people, goods,
time, skills, or
anything else Nicki Raaz
that is productive)
tend to arrange themselves to
minimize work, so that 20 percent
of any resource accounts for 80
percent of the activity related to
that resource.
Koch has applied this principle
to the softer side of life.
His premise is that our daily lives
can be greatly improved, and that
each individual can be more effective
and happier, by using the
80/20 Principle. He suggests
three changes to make to create
happiness for ourselves: changing
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the way we think about ourselves,
changing the way we think about
external events, and applying the
80/20 Principle to choices we
make.
There is scientific evidence to
support these ideas. It was once
thought that happiness was determined
by things outside of our
control--our genetics, childhood
experiences, and important life
events. But research now tells us
that what we think and do on a
daily basis affects our brain chemistry
and our feelings. Since humans
are free to change how we
think and act, we can choose to
make ourselves happy or unhappy.
The brain chemicals released by
positive feelings also support our
physical health, so being happy
can help us to be healthier.
Psychologists say that perceptions
of happiness are related to
our sense of self-worth. To cultivate
a positive sense of self, Koch
suggests thinking about the good
things we’ve done, our achievements
both big and small, and the
positive feedback we hear. Our
feelings about ourselves then become
more positive and we are
happier.
While there are some external
events that we cannot change, we
can change the way we think about
them. When misfortune happens,
we can decide that “this has ruined
my life.” Or we can focus on all of
the good things in life that we still
have and still can do.
And some events in our lives
can be changed. It is here that
Koch suggests using the 80/20
Principle as a guide to happiness.
He states that since 20 percent of
our activities or relationships provide
80 percent of our enjoyment,
we should intelligently change
our exposure to the events that
www.thegalenaterritory.com
RELATED TO HAPPINESS
http://www.realage.com/health-tips/
happiness-boosts-heart-health
“The Science of Optimism,” Time magazine,
June 6, 2011
make us happy or unhappy. For
example:
• If the road you drive 80 percent
of the time makes you anxious
or frustrated, and a little
longer road, taken 20 percent of
the time, is more pleasant, take the
longer route and make yourself
feel better.
• If you enjoy 20 percent of the
organizations you support, and
don’t care so much about the other
80 percent, spend more time with
the ones you enjoy.
• If being with a few close
friends, perhaps 20 percent of your
friendships, brings you 80 percent
of your enjoyment, spend more
time with those friends.
In a nutshell, Koch suggests
doing more of the things that make
us happy, and fewer of the things
that make us unhappy. While this
may not be possible in all situations,
at work for example, it is
possible to make changes in many
parts of our lives and make ourselves
happier.
Is it important to be happy?
Koch concludes that happiness is
a duty, and that we should work
at being happy. After spending
time with our nephew, I agree.
We should do it for ourselves, for
those around us, and for our physical
and mental health.
Nicki Raaz, BSN, RNC, has
experience in behavioral health,
home health and hospice, and
has been a consultant and trainer
in health services for persons
with Developmental Disabilities.
Nicki Raaz and Mary Sheahen,
both Territory residents, alternate
as authors of “Just for
the Health of It.” You can reach
Nicki at john_nicki_29@mchsi.
com and Mary at toprn1@aol.
com.
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