How of Happiness

Are you happy?

Tough times – are you less happy?

January 21 – most depressing day of year – last Monday

Learn the habits of a happy person – that is the key

Evidently Americans not overwhelmingly happy

22 countries happier than we are – Iceland, Qatar, Swiss, Dutch, Thailand

Denmark #1

Good news we men tend to become happier as we get older and peak at 65 then decline beginning at age 75

Sonya Lyubomirsky – Cal Riverside – psych prof - Guest

She has been studying this for 18 years – reviewed 225 studies

The How of Happiness – A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want

Web link to her happiness self-test – see how you rate

Not self help book with personal advice – but scientific approach

Set point – like weight

Inherit a range – but you can optimize happiness – like I am trying to do with weight right now

Happy people live longer, better jobs, more productive, more money, better relationships

Here's the deal on how to be happy

50% genetics 10% life circumstances – change this but soon fades, normalized

40% within our control

That is how you can change how you think and feel – 40% factor

Harvard's most popular class – How to be happy – 850 enrollees

12 scientifically tested activities to increase level of happiness

Pick ones that work best for you – not do all 12

Distraction – don't think too much – go on a run, meet friend for lunch, rubber band

Amazing to me how many of these really have to do with faith

Seems to me she has discovered science to support faith



Questions:

Are you happy? How do you do it?

Happier than a Danish person?

Difference between happiness and joy – I think happiness is always fleeting



Misc:

Sadness in America

Wealth rises – sadness increases

Not 2 Americas – 1 America focused on wrong thing – stuff

Committing to goals

Gratitude

Acts of kindness

Distraction (not rumination)

Savoring joys

learning to forgive

Focus on good things (Philippians)