- Long-lasting peace and satisfaction
- Sum of all happenings
- Most valuable pursuit
How happy a person, am I ?
Happiness
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Happiness
- Explored for thousands of years
- Modern perspective a late development
Factors influencing happiness
- Life circumstances
- Genetic makeup
- Approach to life
- Belief in the supreme power
Life circumstances
- Attainment of the general living standard
- Realization of the general income level
- Income and living standards vary across societies
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Life circumstances
- Tend to be unhappy if standards not attained
- Happiness is meaningful if standards accomplished
Life circumstances in developed societies
- Plays smaller role in happiness
- Hedonic adaptation
- Get used to enjoyable changes
- Initial joy wears off over time
Genetic makeup
- The most significant contributor to happiness
- Positive and negative emotions determine happiness
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Genetic makeup
- Genetic structure of the brain determines positive and negative emotions
- Almost 50% of the variation is due to genetic factors
Approach to life
- Happiness comes from subjective wellbeing
- Mental and emotional evaluation of life
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Approach to life
- Improvement in subjective wellbeing
- Good social life
- Healthy relationship
- Attainment of intrinsic goals
Intrinsic goals
- Inherent, internal, relate to self
- Personal growth, health, hobby etc.
- Self-validated and self-accepted
Extrinsic goals
- Secondary, external, relate to outside influences
- Money, fame, status etc.
- Require validation and acceptance from others
Intrinsic motivations
- Children develop intrinsic motivations on their own
- They find balance for intrinsic and extrinsic motivations
- They need supportive parenting to grow with the balance
Extrinsic motivations
- Extrinsic motivations rise if intrinsic ones are suppressed
- Fearful and over-protective parenting
- Non-specific feedback to children
- Focus on rewards
We must add intrinsic goals to extrinsic goals
- Best if extrinsic goals are part of intrinsic goals
- Inculcate intrinsic motivations alongside extrinsic ones
Belief in the Supreme Power
- Leading contributor to the experience of happiness
- Helped humans in living a meaningful life through ages
- Real source of positivity
Tips for Happiness
- Identify and embrace intrinsic motivations
- Pursue intrinsic goals alongside extrinsic goals
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Tips for Happiness
- Develop and value relationships that matter
- Strive for an active social life
- Trust the Supreme Power