We’re all familiar with the term “the pursuit of happiness.”
The question is:
How, exactly, do you pursue a happy life? Especially daily? What is happiness in the first place?
We all have those moments of sudden revelation when the world grows a little bit brighter, but how do you integrate those into your daily grind?
A good place to start is by defining what the term “happiness” means for you.
There are many, and we’re talking many, different definitions of the word. It can come from actions, from what you think, from gratitude, and so on.
If you break it down scientifically, you might find some interesting revelations.
For instance, did you know that married people are 10 percent happier than unmarried people?
What about the fact that happiness is maximized at 57 degrees Fahrenheit?
Perhaps the simplest definition of them all is the fact that happiness, at its root, is a choice. It’s actionable.
It’s something we can pursue because we choose it.
This naturally implies that happiness is something that lies in our own power. It’s not something that happens to us. We must seize it, carpe diem style.
And that’s why we’re here, right?
Let’s break down some key ways that we can actively pursue happiness, from following our passions to letting go of expectations and everything in between.
In other words, choose that happiness.
How to Define a Happy Life?
To understand what a happy life is, it’s better to break down what happiness is. There are many definitions of happiness available but modern psychology would be the more practical one to define happiness.
Psychology breaks it down into two parts
- The first is that happiness is an emotion.
- The second is that happiness is life satisfaction.
Happiness Is an Emotion
Happiness is an emotion that suggests that someone is experiencing positive emotions such as pleasure, excitement, and joy. We’re all very familiar with this in many forms.
Think about the times where you had good food, new clothes, walks on the beach, being around your friends. These sorts of things are what cause us to experience those emotions.
Happiness Is a Life Satisfaction
The second part – on life satisfaction – isn’t as familiar to us. It’s not as direct as stuffing your mouth full of good food, getting massages, or being on the beach.
Instead, it involves a deliberate process where we are discovering ourselves and cultivating the right mental attitudes to be living a happy life.
This is powerful because those attitudes being developed remain in place despite our emotions and our lives being emotional roller coasters.
Why Happiness Matters
Happiness is a deep sense of flourishing, not a mere pleasurable feeling or fleeting emotion but an optimal state of being – Matthieu Ricard
When asked about whether happiness matters, people will react in surprisingly different ways to it. For some, they’ll say there are more important things to worry about; while others will see it as an essential cornerstone of their lives.
The feeling of happiness also matters in ensuring we make the most of the good times. However, it’s also useful to cope effectively when bad times roll around.
Besides that, happiness has also been proven to offer a wide range of benefits in performance, health, relationships, and more. [1]
For one, the emotions that we experience – both positive and negative – serve a purpose.
Negative Emotions
Negative emotions – like fear and anger – help us to protect ourselves and to avoid danger.
Positive Emotions
Positive emotions though help us to connect with other people and build our capacity to cope.
Some other reasons for why happiness matters are that studies show:
- Happiness is linked to improved health and longer lives. [2]
- Happy people are likely to follow safety precautions (like wearing seatbelts) and be involved in fewer accidents. [3]
- Happier people have more financial responsibility and tend to save more and control their spending. [4]
- And they are all-around better people for the communities they’re in as they strive to make a positive contribution to society. [5]
10 Secrets To Living A Happier Life
Here are 10 secrets to actively pursuing a happier life. They work for all ages, and you’ll find that some are outwardly focused while others are more about improving themselves.
However, regardless of the specific “happiness hack” you opt to try, remember that all of these only work if you’re open to them working in the first place.
