The Science of Happiness

Posted on Oct 4, 2015 | 0 comments

For so long now, the field of psychology has been focused on fixing what is wrong with us. Finally, we are seeing a shift in that focus! Scientists are instead studying behaviors that help us flourish.

We are now seeing research results on what thoughts and behaviors makes us more productive and happier at work. Surveys asking what makes you feel more fulfilled and how can someone make your experience better are common now.

It is called Positive Psychology – the Science of Happiness.

It has been concluded that happiness is, in fact, a choice. Positive psychology is the study of the idea that through certain practices we can enrich-en our life experience.

The Numbers Behind the Science of Happiness.

So far, research is showing that 50% of our happiness is due to genes and upbringing while 40% of our happiness comes from intentional activities such as appreciating, being mindful and meditating. Interestingly, 90% of our happiness comes from our inner environment (self-induced) while only 10% is due to our external circumstances (other people/situations). That means we CAN choose to be happy!

Did you know in the last 50 years in the United States, personal income has more than doubled? Yet people’s happiness levels have remained the same. Interesting, right? As we learned above, our external environment is only responsible for 10% of our happiness; the bigger houses and fancier cars are not quite giving us the happiness that we thought, right?

One last fact! Thanks to recent research in neuroplasticity, we now know that the adult brain grows 5,000 new brain cells every day. So it is, in fact, quite possible to retrain our brains. To acknowledge that we have the power to choose happiness and rewire ourselves to focus on what we do have, what we can give and what we can control.

So can we really train ourselves to be happier?

The Science of Happiness Says Yes!

You absolutely can choose happiness by taking control of your thoughts and actions. By modifying a few of your daily behaviors and thought patterns, happiness will flow from you.

Think about what makes you happy. Many people think that if they have some work success they will be happy, many people think if they please their friends/family they will be happy. That success = happiness. But does it? Might I suggest to you that this equation is backwards?

Is it possible that happiness = success? That without happiness, you will not succeed?

So how do we choose happiness?

We train ourselves to be positive, to see the glass as half full. We can learn to really use the power of being positive. Science has shown us that when we are positive our intelligence, creativity and energy levels rise causing us to be more productive. We can thank all of the Dopamine that floods our brain when we are feeling positive, which boosts our productivity and puts us on the path to success.

So you can see, our success is dependent on our happiness which is dependent on our choice to be positive, kind and mindful.

It really is all up to YOU!

What kind of day will you choose to have?

Malibu Mama Loves Xx

#Happiness

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