The scientific breakdown of happiness is more than increased levels of positive hormones like dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin. According to researchers from top universities such as Harvard, Yale, and the University of California, happiness also involves how we behave and choose to act.
Professor Lauri Santos, who teaches The Science of Well-Being as an online Yale course, said that happiness is often misconceived as built-in and cannot be changed. In the course, she instructs students to increase their happiness by building productive habits.
Another course is The Science of Happiness, a self-paced online course from UC Berkeley. Over 500,000 students have completed the course learning about "the roots of a happy and meaningful life through science and practice."
Emiliana Simon-Thoams from the Greater Good Science Center said that those who pursue happiness in the belief system of achievements "end up being less happy than people who define happiness in a more overarching, quality-of-life way." So what are some of the scientific ways that people can discover or create their happiness?
Enhance Social Connections
Multiple studies support how essential close relationships are, such as romantic partners, children, family, and the surrounding community. Those with strong relationships and feel well connected to others generally have better physical and mental health. For example, good relationships result in fewer stress hormones which are associated with chronic inflammation, heart disease, and other illnesses.
According to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, key relationships are important for physical health and longer life. Despite the pandemic, those who prioritize their relationships could be coping better because of the effort these people make in maintaining friendships via online platforms.
Random Acts of Kindness
Generosity in the form of random acts of kindness is a key factor in long-term happiness, according to researchers from UC Riverside. Investing in the welfare of others through acts of service, thoughtful words, and small or grand gestures activates the brain's reward system, which releases dopamine. The same brain region is also responsible for motivation and desire.
Be Grateful
Expressing gratitude can help decrease symptoms of depression, shared Martin Seligman from the Positive Psychology Center in Pennsylvania. Focusing on things you are grateful for every day will help you change your perspective in life despite negative circumstances such as daily stressors.
This is especially important during the pandemic when there is so much negativity around the world. It is not about ignoring the negative things by thinking positive, but rather, remembering to count one's blessings.
Read Also: Friends or Family: Who Makes Us Happier?
Mindfulness
Mindfulness and mediation have become an increasing trend with practices such as Yoga and other exercises. Psychologist Elizabeth Dunn shared that it is important that people recognize their own emotions and not judge them. Mindfulness and self-awareness help us accept and love ourselves.
Self-Compassion
Simon-Thomas explained that many people struggle with self-compassion due to the social value of criticism and punishing one's self for failures or setbacks. Practicing self-compassion includes living in the present and not worrying about the future; understanding that failure is a part of life and success, and the inner critic should be silenced by a self-supporter.
Read Also: How Happy Are Healthy People?
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