There is a popular song by Bobby Mc Ferrin the lyrics of which says “Don’t worry be happy”. Incidentally this year India ranks at No. 118 on the happiness index out of the 157 countries surveyed, one of the few countries facing a rapid decline in the happiness factor.
What makes one person happy need not necessarily contribute to the happiness factor of another individual. Happiness is a personal matter. It is rightly said that one man’s meat is another man’s poison. Everyone is in pursuit of happiness. But true happiness alludes many of us. This is probably because we do not know what can give us true happiness. Happiness is obviously a positive emotion.
Most of us probably don’t believe we need a formal definition of happiness; we know it when we feel it, and we often use the term to describe a range of positive emotions, including joy, pride, contentment, and gratitude combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful and worthwhile. In addition to making us feel good, studies have found that happiness actually improves other aspects of our lives. Happiness is good for our health: Happy people are less likely to get sick, and they live longer.
Happiness is good for our relationships: Happy people are more likely to get married and have fulfilling marriages, and they have more friends. Happy people make more money and are more productive at work. Happy people are more generous. Happy people cope better with stress and trauma. Happy people are more creative and are better able to see the big picture. Man is a social animal. Hence the happiness index also depends on his relationship with others in the society.
Social connections are key to happiness. How well a person is accepted in the society is very important. Close relationships, including romantic relationships, are especially important. Hence to be happy we should spend time with people in whom we can confide and who’ll support us when we’re down. We have to count our blessing on a regular basis. Unfortunately people spend more time on wanting many things in life without being grateful for the things one already possesses. We need to practice kindness. There is probably no greater joy than in the joy of giving. People experience greater happiness when they spend money on others than when they spend it on themselves, even though they initially think the opposite would be true. Similarly, neuroscience research shows that when we do nice things for others, our brains light up in areas associated with pleasure and reward. Unforgiveness is the greatest obstacle to a happy life.
Keeping grudges and hate felling can really corrode the soul. When we forgive those who have wronged us, we feel better about ourselves, experience more positive emotions, and feel closer to others. Just like exercise, rest too is necessary to make one happy. Less sleep is understood to lower happiness. Studies have shown that people who are alert and are aware of their thoughts, feelings, and external circumstances—not only have stronger immune systems but are more likely to be happy and enjoy greater life satisfaction, and they are less likely to be hostile or anxious. Pursuing one’s hobby can also give one immense joy. It won’t be wrong to say that the happiest people are those whose hobby is the same as the task which earn them their daily bread.
