IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

WHAT SCIENCE AND LIFE TELL US

PREVENTATIVE HEALTH

MARY JO TODORAN, MSW, LCSW, ACSW

IPFW/PARKVIEW Student Assistance Program

WHY IT MATTERS

More resilient (they bounce back) More cooperative and less self-centered More willing to help and be team players More forgiving and frustration tolerant Better self-controlled Better performers than the less happy Healthier and live longer (lower blood

pressure, more robust immune systems, and tolerate more pain)

Happy students are

OPTIMISM inoculates against depression, improves health, and combines with talent and desire to enable achievement.

Happy students generally are more helpful and charitable.Optimistic students, followed over time, had higher

incomes at age 35.Happy students draw people to themselves, as opposed to

depressed students who isolate.Having strong social bonds and a sense of belonging is one

of the most meaningful contributors to happiness.

Happiness is an antidote for depression

Two studies show that focusing on or creating pleasant experiences enhances our learning or performance abilities.

Kids who were asked to spend 30 seconds remembering happy things did better on learning tasks they were given just after remembering the happy experience.

Internists who were given some candy or who watched a funny video (vs. reading humanistic statements about medicine and a control group) did better at diagnosing a hard-to-diagnose case of liver disease.

Cheerful college students ended up earning $25,000 more per year than their sour counterparts.

Studies have shown

Working on happiness won’t just make you happier, it will boost the happiness of the people around you!

Happiness: It’s a choice

People are bad at predicting what will make them happy.

IF ONLY…

Can we buy happiness?

A systematic study of 22 people who won major lotteries found that they reverted to their baseline level of happiness over time.

How important money is to you, more than money itself, influences your happiness.

People in the U.S. don’t rate quality of life much higher than people in Calcutta

U.S. families making $100,000 are happier than those who struggle, but families making more are not much happier.

Relative ranking, how we compare to others matters The choices we make – lose it in Vegas, or use it for good The lack of money creates unhappiness

It can make a difference

Satisfies basic material needs A way to keep score Win security Earn recognition Foster mastery or the arts Symbolizes status and success Creates power in relationships Buys time

What does money do?

The Hedonistic Treadmill

What we know

AgeGender and raceExpectationsHealth

Is it related?

One year after becoming quadriplegic, people’s happiness level return to where they were before the drastic change of circumstance

Our Happiness Set Point is genetically influenced, but not fixed

Happiness set point is not fixed

1) Relationships: Social Connectedness2) Positive Emotion 3) Engagement4) Meaning and Purpose5) Accomplishment

THE BIG FIVE Fundamentals of Well-Being

People who have one or more close friendships are happier.

We need close long-term relationships and an ability to confide in others

We need to belong Friendships boost immunity and lengthen life Cuts the risk of depression Gives you a sense of identity and self esteem

1. Relationships

Relationships

Unlike money, marriage is closely related to happiness. 40% of married people are “very happy,” while only 24% of unmarried, divorced, separated, and widowed people said this.

Top 10% of happy people are involved in romantic relationships.

Joy Pleasure Enthusiasm Intimacy Caring for others Gratitude Appreciation Optimism

2. Positive Emotion

Grateful people are happier and more satisfied, feel physically healthy, and exercise more

Grateful people have a sense of belonging—less depression and stress

Brings freedom from envy Increases energy and enthusiasm Connects you to nature and other people Most world spiritual traditions encourage giving thanks

Gratitude and Appreciation

Optimists make sense of bad events They are better problem solvers Optimism has profound effects on health Act the way you want to feel Fake it till you make it

Optimism

Pessimism

Pessimists see things as internal, unchangeable, and pervasive.

They feel that their troubles last forever, undermine everything they do, and are uncontrollable.

They are up to eight times more likely to become depressed.

They do worse at school, sports, and most jobs than their talents predict.

They have worse physical health and shorter lives, as well as rockier interpersonal relationships.

Looking out for number one is more characteristic of sadness than of well-being.

Guilt Remorse Shame Anger Envy Boredom Irritation Unforgiveness

Remove sources of bad feelings

DEFINITION: That joyful feeling we experience when we are deeply involved in an activity that is challenging and well suited to our skills, or when we are trying to reach a meaningful goal.

3. Engagement (flow)

Spiritual people are relatively happier—having strong social support and opportunities for socializing, community service, and making friends.

Mindfulness Meditation Hope Transcendent and timeless

4. Purpose and Meaning

To be truly happy you need to discover your unique strengths and virtues and use them for a purpose that is greater than your own personal goals.

Live the life you are supposed to live Live up to the expectations you set for yourself Do your duty Continue to grow

To discover more, visit viacharacter.org

5. Accomplishment

Wisdom and Knowledge Courage Love and humanity Justice Temperance Spirituality and Transcendence

(Website: viacharacter.org)

Seligman’s list of virtues/signature strengths

To engage in happiness inducing activities, you have to “FEEL GOOD.”

Exercise has a large clinical impact on depression

and anxiety. SLEEP IS PRIMARY

If You Want to be Happy

Pursue a passion Make time and enjoy

now Master a new

technology Stimulate the mind in

new ways Forget about results Laugh out loud Use good manners Start a gratitude journal

Happiness takes energy and discipline

Give positive reviews Care for others Strengthen your

intimate relationships Increase your circle of

friends Become an active

member of the community

PLAY

PLAY is satisfying Doesn’t necessarily lead to praise or

recognition Has no economic significance Doesn’t create social harm Draws you closer to other people

HAVE FUN! Make time to be silly Experiment with new interests Go off the path Start a collection

What is play?

Atmosphere of growth Social contact Sense of purpose Self esteem Recognition Fun

What we get from school

A final word about money:Use money to support happy

goals

Strengthen relationshipsPromote healthEducation Have funHelp others, donate time or

talentCreate happy memories Indulge in a modest splurgeReward yourselfSpend it on things YOU value

Positive Emotions + Engagement + Meaning

To define happiness/well-being

CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY

“The constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.”

Ben Franklin

Sources

Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman (Author of Learned Optimism, Authentic Happiness," and in 2011, "Flourish.") from the University of Pennsylvania, Positive Psychology Program.

The Happiness Project book written by author Gretchen Rubin. She created a kit for “Happiness Circles”.

Bill O’Hanlon, Life is Good! The Science of Happiness. Catching Happiness:Putting Positive Psychology into Practice

Project Happiness, an exploration group composed of high school seniors in the United States, India, and Nigeria. They created a handbook for groups.