Hacking Happiness
We live in an age where we have an almost fairy tale ideal of success: a beautiful home, a cute family, a high-paying and prestigious job, a nice car, and enough disposable income to afford nice vacations and dining out. We commonly equate those accomplishments to success. And success makes us happy, right? I’d argue that it doesn’t.
I used to equate my self-worth to those measures of success; I didn’t have a high-paying job, or own my own home, and I had limited disposable income. I compared myself to my more successful peers and I constantly felt like I wasn’t good enough. I was miserable.
Sadly, our traditional interpretation of success comes at a cost: people feel overwhelmed, depressed, anxiety and stress are at an all-time high. People are turning to the use of anti-depressant medication to cope and manage their outward symptoms. The need for therapy is high and there is a stark rise in people accessing services for alcoholism and addiction. Is that true happiness? Perhaps our expectations of success are not resulting in a sense of wellness and, consequently, we feel unhappy.
Is it possible to switch your perspective and hack your own happiness?
Well, according to expert Professor Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky (University of California-Riverside), around 60% of our happiness, or positive emotions, are largely due to genetics and upbringing. However, Lyubomirsky, in her book The How of Happiness states that around 40% of our happiness “is left for the intentional activities that we can choose to engage in — the things that we do and think every day of our lives.” So, we do have an influence on how happy we are.
That certainly explains the prevalence of mindfulness based activities such as yoga and meditation — even eastern philosophies toward life, such as Buddhism — meeting the demand for intentional activities which seek to not only provide an alternative perspective, but create a sense of happiness and well-being. The perfect antidote to stress.
Based on my experience, I’d support that finding. I have encountered a range of mental health issues, from depression and anxiety, to addiction. I am in long-term recovery. When I practice a few daily rituals — or intentional activities — I feel better and more content, happy. It is really that straightforward. Sure, life can be tough — in this last year, I have lost my brother, relocated continent, ended a relationship, and started a business — while stressful, when I change my perspective, I feel better and my problems feel more manageable.
Here are my top tips to hack your happiness:
1. Share your problems: whether you share in the safe space of an online community, or in therapy, expressing yourself will help process your thoughts. You might also come away with helpful suggestions and valuable insight. The empathy we gain in sharing is a powerful tool — we need to feel that we are not alone in this world.
2. Make a gratitude list: It will make you see just how much you have to be grateful for.
3. Help others: whether volunteering, helping your parents, or mentoring, you will feel happier by giving of yourself. You also spend less time focusing on your problems.
4. Exercise: it will produce lots of feel good chemicals.
5. Meditation: it not only helps you focus on the present, it calms your thoughts and restores a sense of peace. It is no wonder that monks are happy!”
Download iExhale today and hack your own happiness!
Written by: Olivia Pennelle
