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Thinking of happines as an endpoint

Thinking of happines as an endpoint

Happiness isn't a goal you can simply reach and be done with. It is a constant pursuit that requires continual nurturing and sustenance.

One study found that people who tend to value happiness most also tended to feel the least satisfied with their lives. Essentially, happiness becomes such a lofty goal that it becomes virtually unattainable.

“Valuing happiness could be self-defeating because the more people value happiness, the more likely they will feel disappointed,”

Perhaps the lesson is to not make something as broadly defined as “happiness” your goal. Instead, focus on building and cultivating the sort of life and relationships that bring fulfillment and satisfaction to your life.

It is also important to consider how you personally define happiness. Happiness is a broad term that means different things to different people. think about what it means for you.

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Improving your happiness

Improving your happiness

Some people seem to have a naturally higher baseline for happiness—one large-scale study of more than 2,000 twins suggested that around 50% of overall life satisfaction was due to genetics, 10% to external events, and 40% to individual activities.

So while you might not be able to control w...

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Challenges

Challenges

While seeking happiness is important there are times when the pursuit of life satisfaction falls short. Some challenges to watch for include:

  • Valuing the wrong things
  • Not seeking social support
  • Thinking of happiness as an endpoint

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Two key components of happiness

Two key components of happiness

The balance of emotions: Everyone experiences both positive and negative emotions, feelings, and moods. Happiness is generally linked to experiencing more positive feelings than negative.

Life satisfaction: This relates to how satisfied you feel with differ...

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Types of happiness

Types of happiness

Hedionia: hedonic happiness is derived from pleasureIt is most often associated with doing what feels good, self-care, fulfilling desires, experiencing enjoyment, and feeling a sense of satisfaction.

Eudaimonia: This type of happiness is derive...

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how to practice

how to practice

Pursue intrisic goals: Achieving goals that you are intrinsically motivated to pursue, particularly ones that are focused on personal growth and community, can help boost happiness. Research suggests that pursuing these types of

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How to know if you're happy

How to know if you're happy

One important thing to remember is that happiness isn't a state of constant euphoria. Instead, happiness is an overall sense of experiencing more positive emotions than negative ones.

Some key signs of happiness include:

  • Feeling like you are livi...

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Impact of happiness

Impact of happiness

Happiness has been shown to predict positive outcomes in many different areas of life.

  • Positive emotions increase satisfaction with life.
  • Happiness helps people build stronger coping skills and emotional resources.
  • Positive emotions are linked to bette...

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Positive psychology

Positive psychology

The pursuit of happiness is central to the field of positve psychology. 

Psychologists who study positive psychology are interested in learning ways to increase positivity and helping people live happier, more satisfying lives.

Rather than focusing on mental patho...

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What is happiness

Happiness is an emotional state characterized by feelings of joy, satisfaction. contentment and fulfillment. 

While happiness has many different definitions, it is often described as involving positive emotions and life satisfaction.

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Maslow's hierarchy of needs

The hierarchy of need suggests that people are motivated to pursue increasingly complex needs. 

Once more basic needs are fulfilled, people are then motivated by more psychological and emotional needs.

At the peak of the hierarchy is the need for self-actualiz...

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Get regular exercise

Exercise is good for both your body and mind. psysical activity is linked to a range of physical and psychological benefits including improved mood. Numerous studies have shown that regular exercise may play a role in warding off symptoms of depression, but evidence also suggests that it may also...

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History of happiness

History of happiness

Happiness has long been recognized as a critical part of health and well-being. The "pursuit of happiness" is even given as an inalienable right in the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Our understanding of what will bring happiness, however, has shifted over time.

Psychologists hav...

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Feel a sense of purpose

Feel a sense of purpose

Research has found that people who feel like they have a purpose have better well-being and feel more fulfilled.

A sense of purpose involves seeing your life as having goals, direction, and meaning. It may help improve happiness by promoting healthier behaviors.

Some things yo...

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Show grattitude

Show grattitude

In one study, participants were asked to engage in a writing exercise for 10 to 20 minutes each night before bed.

Some were instructed to write about daily hassles, some about neutral events, and some about things they were grateful for. 

The results found that people who had...

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Valuing the wrong things

Valuing the wrong things

Money may not be able to buy hapiness, but there is research that spending money on things like experiences can make you happier that spending it on material possesions.

One study, for example, found that spending money on things that buy time—such as spending money on time-saving services—...

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Not seeking social support

Not seeking social support

Social support mean having friends and loved ones that you can turn to for support. Research has found that perceived social support plays an important role in subjective well-being. 

For example, one study found that perceptions of social support were responsible for 43% of a perso...

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CURATED FROM

CURATED BY

rogierhoekstra

I'm passionate about helping people live their best lives. I'm a lifestyle coach and fitness trainer, and I also write and take photographs. Check out the link below for more and follow me on twitter!

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Kendra Cherry

"Happiness isn’t a goal that you can simply reach and be done with. It is a constant pursuit that requires continual nurturing and sustenance."

KENDRA CHERRY

The “sour-grape effect”

Named after "The Fox and the Grapes", the sour-grape effect is a systematic tendency to downplay the value of unattainable goals and rewards. We underestimate our future happiness because we don't always know what we want, and adjust our desires to what appears within reach.

...

Valuing well-being as satisfaction

Understanding well-being based on feelings of satisfaction, pleasure, or happiness has two problems.

  • The physical-condition neglect. Humans adapt to their circumstances, meaning the poor and sick can still be relatively happy.
  • Valuation neglect.

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