#93: Keys to Well-Being: Are You Happy?

This is Part 1 in a series exploring behaviors that help increase an individual's sense of well-being. Throughout this series, we will answer the questions:

• What does it truly mean to be happy?
• What are some ways that we can increase our own happiness?

We will answer these questions through a series of "keys to well-being", such as meaning and purpose, flow and peak performance, compassion and empathy, religion and spirituality, stress and coping, physical health, and forgiveness among others. For each topic, we will define what is meant by each key to well-being, explore the research, and identify specific interventions to increase well-being.

What if I told you that you could increase your current level of happiness by 10%, 20%, or more? Would I have your attention? Based on the number of books out there about finding happiness I bet you aren't the only one! A few years ago, Barnes and Noble revealed that while sales for books about anxiety rose 26% over the previous year, books about happiness rose 83% over that same time period! I found that to be very encouraging. I love seeing people actively seek out ways to improve their lives! However, we need to make sure that the recommendations being offered are rooted in empirical evidence.

Happiness Defined
I will admit I kind of struggle with the term "happy". If I were to ask 100 people to define "happiness" for me I bet I would get just as many responses. So, before we delve into the research I want to be sure to clarify what I mean by the term HAPPY and why I actually prefer using the term SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING (SWB). Here's the difference as I see it. Happiness is typically associated with an emotion, like joy. It is primarily AFFECTIVE. Subjective Well-Being is a broader term that encompasses life satisfaction, emotional affect, and a sense of meaning and purpose. It is AFFECTIVE, BEHAVIORAL and COGNITIVE.

The 40% Rule
Sonja Lyubomirsky is a professor of psychology who researches human happiness. She wrote one of my favorite books, The How of Happiness. In her book, Lyubomirsky shares that there are three primary factors that determine happiness:

• Set Point: A genetic "happiness" set point determined by our genes accounts for 50% of overall happiness. Some people are just naturally happier than others.
• Life Circumstances: A person's life circumstances, such as income or health, accounts for 10% of overall happiness.
• Intentional Activity: What a person thinks and does accounts for 40% of overall happiness. This is a lot of untapped potential!

Lyubomirsky called this the "40 Percent Solution." She postulates that although it may be impossible to change one's genes or life circumstances, it is possible to change one's thoughts and behavior. Her body of research explores different ways to increase happiness through the use of intentional activity (Lyubomirsky, 2007, p. 20-22). Each post in this series will focus on different intentional activities shown to increase well-being.

WHAT is your WHY?
It is impossible to talk about happiness without talking about meaning and purpose. So before diving into our first key to well-being, I want to give you an opportunity to identify your WHY. We are going to, quite literally, begin with the end in mind. Take a few minutes to write a minimum of 1-2 paragraphs answering this question.

How would you like to be remembered?

You could share your accomplishments, what you stand for or anything else that defines who you are or who you want to be. This can be written in the present tense or future test - either based on who you are today or who you hope to become. Are you ready? Get out some paper and start writing.

WHY does it MATTER?

Another twist on this intervention, albeit a morbid one, is to write your own obituary. In 2021, I wrote my own obituary for a graduate course in Positive Psychology. I found it to be both a challenging and rewarding experience. I actually ended up pulling it back out to write this article. As I re-read it I was struck by how few accomplishments I mentioned. I didn't talk about my blog, the classes I taught, my podcast or degrees. I talked a lot about the people in my life that have given it such meaning. I spoke in depth about my family. I expressed gratitude for lifelong friendships. I talked about the joy I experienced teaching kids. I shared what I hope my legacy will be.

I think if we are going to start looking at how to become happier we need to start with our "WHY." In my next post, we will take a closer look at how we build meaning and purpose. Until then, I would like you to do a little homework for me. This would also be a great activity to do with your students! For this activity, you will measure your current level of purpose and see if you can clarify your purpose through the wave of a "magic wand". You can access the activity by clicking on the link "What's Your Why?" below.

Activity: What's Your Why?

This series will be rooted in the principles of Positive Psychology. Positive Psychology is the scientific study of human strengths and virtues. It uses psychological theory, scientific research and evidence-based interventions to understand and improve human well-being. Full disclosure: There are a number of criticisms of this theory. One such criticism is that it is too "positive" and fails to address the role of contextual factors like racism and poverty on well-being. Other criticisms concern the methodology behind some findings. If you would like to learn more about these critiques I suggest you check out this article which specifically addresses Lyubomirsky's theory which was shared at the beginning of this post. 

That being said, this is a very rich area of research and one that has been personally transforming for me. Throughout this series, I will share ways that you can improve your own well-being and help your students do the same! Keep in mind that these interventions were not designed to treat clinical disorders like depression or anxiety. Other disciplines in psychology better address these concerns head on - like clinical psychology or even psychopharmacology. I like to think of it this way. Treatment helps you dig out of a hole. Positive Psychology helps you climb mountains. With that in mind, let's go climbing!

Be Well,
Cori

Resources

Brown, N. J., & Rohrer, J. M. (2019). Easy as (happiness) pie? A critical evaluation of a popular model of the determinants of well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 21(4), 1285–1301. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-019-00128-4 

Lyubomirsky, S. (2013). The how of happiness: A practical guide to getting the life you want. Piatkus. 

Miller, C. A., & Frisch, M. B. (2011). Creating your best life: The ultimate life list guide. Sterling. 

Seligman, M. E. P. (2019). Positive psychology: A personal history. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 15(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050718-095653

Siegel, R. (2018, August 2). 'an anxious nation': Barnes & Noble sees a surge in sales of books about stress. The Washington Post. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/08/02/an-anxious-nation-barnes-noble-sees-surge-sales-books-about-stress/