Andrea Kane
7–9 minutes
Editor’s note: Season 10 of the podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the science of happiness. You can listen to episodes here.
(CNN) — If you look around at your friends
and family — and even at yourself — it is apparent that some people
perceive the glass to be half full, while others view it as half empty.
“Some people are just happier than others. They don’t have
to work at it, right? They just are,” social psychologist Sonja
Lyubomirsky recently told CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay
Gupta on his podcast Chasing Life. “(They’re) kind of like people who
are thin naturally, and they don’t have to work hard at it.”
Lyubomirsky, distinguished professor of psychology at the
University of California, Riverside, has been studying happiness for
more than 35 years. She has also written a few books on the topic,
including “The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want.”
As an abstract concept that is subjective, happiness is a
slippery topic to study: The emotional state is hard to define, let
alone measure objectively.
“Happiness has two components,” Lyubomirsky said, noting
that you need both aspects to be a “happy” person. “The experience of
positive emotions — so people who are happy are more likely to
experience fairly frequently like joy, enthusiasm, calm, curiosity,
affection, pride — that’s one component. The second component is sort of
having a sense that your life is good, that you’re satisfied with your
life.”
Researchers measure those components by asking people
questions such as “How frequently do you experience joy, calm,
curiosity?” and “How satisfied are you with your life?” Some aspects of
happiness can be quantified by examining brain structures and facial features and even doing a voice analysis. Rather than having a happiness set point, Lyubomirsky said, individuals have a set range.
You can listen to the podcast’s full episode here.
A big question for researchers (and many of us) returns to
that glass half-full or half-empty issue: Can you change your set range
to become a happier person? Lyubomirsky said it’s possible to a certain
degree.
“You can’t change your genetics,” she said. She also noted
that trying to change circumstances in your life — such as finding a new
job or starting a relationship — will only get you so far (assuming you
are not in a dire situation).
“And so what do we have left? We can change how we think and
how we behave,” she said. “We can change our habits. We can develop new
habits.”
She and other researchers have observed happy people tend to have certain habits.
Which habits can you adopt to increase your level of happiness? Lyubomirsky has these five tips.
Become absorbed in what you do.
“When you’re so fully engaged in what you’re doing that you
don’t notice the passage of time, you are in a state called ‘flow,’
which is associated with joy,” Lyubomirsky said via email. “Try to
increase the number of flow experiences in your daily life in which you
‘lose’ yourself — experiences that are challenging and absorbing.”
You don’t have to compete in a high-stakes game of tennis or
climb Mount Everest, but try something as simple as completing a group
project at the office, playing with your children or enjoying a hobby
with your partner.
Practice random acts of kindness
Take a moment to do nice things for others throughout your day.
“Being kind to other people brings on a cascade of positive
results. It makes you feel generous and capable, leads you to feel
grateful about your own situation, and gives you a greater sense of
interconnectedness with the world,” Lyubomirsky said.
“It also gives joy to other people and leads them to like
you more and reciprocate in your times of need, which, in turn, helps
nurture your own self-esteem. Thus, practicing acts of kindness
activates what positive psychologists call an ‘upward spiral.’”
These acts of kindness can be directed at friends or
strangers; they can be either direct or anonymous, spontaneous or
planned, she added.
Not sure what to do? Lyubomirsky has some suggestions: Pay
the toll of the car behind you, paint a neighbor’s home, pick up litter
in your neighborhood, teach an illiterate adult to read, rescue an
animal, visit a nursing home, help a stranger carry a package, do a
household chore (even when it’s not your turn), write a thank-you card
to your mail carrier or trash collector, or simply smile at someone who
is feeling sad.
When it comes to your happiness level, personal
relationships have a bigger impact than money, a job title or even your
health.
“Spending more quality time with your partner, spouse, or
kids, or reconnecting with old friends, are sure-fire ways to increase
your own and others’ average levels of joy,” Lyubomirsky said via email.
“This week, pick a relationship in need of strengthening, and invest
time and energy in healing, cultivating, affirming, and enjoying it.”
This small investment may go a long way.
Counting your blessings is a great way to take stock of the positive things in your life.
“One way to do this is by taking time during the week
to consider the three or five things for which you are currently
grateful,” Lyubomirsky said. “This can be done through contemplation
when you’re going to sleep at night or during your commute, by writing
in a journal, or by sharing your grateful thoughts with a close other.”
Another idea is to call or write a note of appreciation to
an important person in your life whom you’ve never properly thanked. “Do
this regularly, but not too often, as the exercise may lose its
freshness and meaning,” she said.
Expressing gratitude will encourage you to appreciate your
good fortune and help get you through the rest of the day or week,
Lyubomirsky noted.
Sharing successes and accomplishments with others has been linked to elevated joy and well-being.
“So, when you or your spouse or cousin or best friend wins
an honor, congratulate them and celebrate,” Lyubomirsky said. “Try to
enjoy the occasion to the fullest. Passing on and rejoicing in good news
leads you to relish and soak up the present moment, as well as to
foster connections with others.”
She said that dynamic should extend to yourself, too: “Don’t
shy away from pride — pat yourself on the back, tell yourself how hard
you’ve worked for this moment, imagine how impressed people might be.”
And then pop that bottle of champagne or cider.
We hope these five tips help you elevate your happiness game. Listen to the full episode here. And join us next week on the Chasing Life podcast when we explore what it means to live a good life.
Editor’s note: Season 10 of the podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the science of happiness. You can listen to episodes here.
(CNN) — If you look around at your friends and family — and even at yourself — it is apparent that some people perceive the glass to be half full, while others view it as half empty.
“Some people are just happier than others. They don’t have to work at it, right? They just are,” social psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky recently told CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta on his podcast Chasing Life. “(They’re) kind of like people who are thin naturally, and they don’t have to work hard at it.”
Lyubomirsky, distinguished professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, has been studying happiness for more than 35 years. She has also written a few books on the topic, including “The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want.”
As an abstract concept that is subjective, happiness is a slippery topic to study: The emotional state is hard to define, let alone measure objectively.
“Happiness has two components,” Lyubomirsky said, noting that you need both aspects to be a “happy” person. “The experience of positive emotions — so people who are happy are more likely to experience fairly frequently like joy, enthusiasm, calm, curiosity, affection, pride — that’s one component. The second component is sort of having a sense that your life is good, that you’re satisfied with your life.”
Researchers measure those components by asking people questions such as “How frequently do you experience joy, calm, curiosity?” and “How satisfied are you with your life?” Some aspects of happiness can be quantified by examining brain structures and facial features and even doing a voice analysis. Rather than having a happiness set point, Lyubomirsky said, individuals have a set range.
You can listen to the podcast’s full episode here.
A big question for researchers (and many of us) returns to that glass half-full or half-empty issue: Can you change your set range to become a happier person? Lyubomirsky said it’s possible to a certain degree.
“You can’t change your genetics,” she said. She also noted that trying to change circumstances in your life — such as finding a new job or starting a relationship — will only get you so far (assuming you are not in a dire situation).
“And so what do we have left? We can change how we think and how we behave,” she said. “We can change our habits. We can develop new habits.”
She and other researchers have observed happy people tend to have certain habits.
Which habits can you adopt to increase your level of happiness? Lyubomirsky has these five tips.
Become absorbed in what you do.
“When you’re so fully engaged in what you’re doing that you don’t notice the passage of time, you are in a state called ‘flow,’ which is associated with joy,” Lyubomirsky said via email. “Try to increase the number of flow experiences in your daily life in which you ‘lose’ yourself — experiences that are challenging and absorbing.”
You don’t have to compete in a high-stakes game of tennis or climb Mount Everest, but try something as simple as completing a group project at the office, playing with your children or enjoying a hobby with your partner.
Practice random acts of kindness
Take a moment to do nice things for others throughout your day.
“Being kind to other people brings on a cascade of positive results. It makes you feel generous and capable, leads you to feel grateful about your own situation, and gives you a greater sense of interconnectedness with the world,” Lyubomirsky said.
“It also gives joy to other people and leads them to like you more and reciprocate in your times of need, which, in turn, helps nurture your own self-esteem. Thus, practicing acts of kindness activates what positive psychologists call an ‘upward spiral.’”
These acts of kindness can be directed at friends or strangers; they can be either direct or anonymous, spontaneous or planned, she added.
Not sure what to do? Lyubomirsky has some suggestions: Pay the toll of the car behind you, paint a neighbor’s home, pick up litter in your neighborhood, teach an illiterate adult to read, rescue an animal, visit a nursing home, help a stranger carry a package, do a household chore (even when it’s not your turn), write a thank-you card to your mail carrier or trash collector, or simply smile at someone who is feeling sad.
When it comes to your happiness level, personal relationships have a bigger impact than money, a job title or even your health.
“Spending more quality time with your partner, spouse, or kids, or reconnecting with old friends, are sure-fire ways to increase your own and others’ average levels of joy,” Lyubomirsky said via email. “This week, pick a relationship in need of strengthening, and invest time and energy in healing, cultivating, affirming, and enjoying it.”
This small investment may go a long way.
Counting your blessings is a great way to take stock of the positive things in your life.
“One way to do this is by taking time during the week to consider the three or five things for which you are currently grateful,” Lyubomirsky said. “This can be done through contemplation when you’re going to sleep at night or during your commute, by writing in a journal, or by sharing your grateful thoughts with a close other.”
Another idea is to call or write a note of appreciation to an important person in your life whom you’ve never properly thanked. “Do this regularly, but not too often, as the exercise may lose its freshness and meaning,” she said.
Expressing gratitude will encourage you to appreciate your good fortune and help get you through the rest of the day or week, Lyubomirsky noted.
Sharing successes and accomplishments with others has been linked to elevated joy and well-being.
“So, when you or your spouse or cousin or best friend wins an honor, congratulate them and celebrate,” Lyubomirsky said. “Try to enjoy the occasion to the fullest. Passing on and rejoicing in good news leads you to relish and soak up the present moment, as well as to foster connections with others.”
She said that dynamic should extend to yourself, too: “Don’t shy away from pride — pat yourself on the back, tell yourself how hard you’ve worked for this moment, imagine how impressed people might be.”
And then pop that bottle of champagne or cider.
We hope these five tips help you elevate your happiness game. Listen to the full episode here. And join us next week on the Chasing Life podcast when we explore what it means to live a good life.