How to be happy.

Happy (documentary), by Sonja Lyubomirsky, 2011, Rated: NR, 1hour/ 15 minutes

I recently posted an article that reported that West Virginia was ranked # 50 in happy states. Overall, people in our state are not as happy as people in other states.

West Virginia and our towns have been listed with having:

• Poor dental health
• High rate of smoking

• High obesity rate

I’d like for this to change.

I’ve written a review for a documentary called, “happy,” which has some useful tips.

These are some of the big tips I got from the documentary:

·         Physical activity promotes happiness and helps a person to have better resilience: It seems to be more effective when it is fun and creative. Some examples shown in the DVD included: aerobics, surfing, rock climbing, skateboarding, dancing, playing/ swimming

·         Nature: one person said it is “good medicine.”

·         Flow: Csíkszentmihályi’s flow theory was discussed. This is where people feel joy from participating in an activity where their skills and challenges meet. This activity could be anything the person enjoys, such as playing piano. A person would feel anxiety if the challenge it far greater than the individuals skill level. A person would feel bored if their skill level is greater than the activity/ challenge.

·         Social support: eating with other people, having close connections with family and friends

o   Social bonding/ social interaction, inhibited self-interest, and strong connections were associated with happiness.

o   Denmark had the highest levels of happiness. Their society has social equality, free college and healthcare for their people. People live in housing communities and they eat together.

·         Focus: A person can select to focus on what they do not have or they can focus on what they do have.

·         People with strong internal values are happier. These include: (personal growth, connected relationships, altruism and the feeling that comes from helping the world).

 

What is NOT associated with happiness, include:

·         More stuff does not equal happiness. We’re often told in the media that more cards, houses, and stuff makes people happier. Studies showed that we have more stuff (cars, bigger houses, electronics) compared to people who lived a few generations back, however, the level of happiness of people has not changed overtime.

·         Focus on external (rewards, praise, getting stuff) is not associated with long-term happiness.

·         Japan had the lowest level of happiness. They work a lot and have a little leisure time. It is cliché, but all work and no play make Jack a dull boy. Japan actually has a term for people who die at an early age from overworking. Play, recreation, and rest are needed for health and happiness.

·         Winning and losing: a person will feel ecstatic for a short-term period. It is not a long lasting feeling when a person wins something big. Losing: people do feel devastated when they’ve lost something, especially if they lost a close friend or family member or their house in a disaster. This feeling does not last forever.

·         Religion and a belief in something better is associated with happiness. However, this is not the case in religious groups that focus more time and attention on hate and destruction.

 

Some of the benefits for being happy include:

Function better, live longer, get what you want better.

 

The formula for happiness is not the same for every person.  What works with one person might not work with another. Some tips for finding happiness include: play, having new experiences, having strong social connections with family and friends, having an existential view on meaning in the world, having gratitude and appreciation in life, and altruism.

 

Watch the DVD: