Student Question | What Makes You Happy?
April 7, 2016 5:00 am April 7, 2016
5:00 am
What makes you happy?
Have you figured out the things in
life that truly make you happy? Have those things changed as you’ve gotten
older?
In “The Keys to Happiness,” Victoria Shannon reports
on what we know about how to achieve happiness, according to recent research
and expert advice:
Make
Friends and Family a Priority …
One of the longest-running studies on living well and happily emphasizes the importance of your relationships with family, friends and spouses.
One of the longest-running studies on living well and happily emphasizes the importance of your relationships with family, friends and spouses.
…
Especially on Weekends
Busy lives can get in the way of happiness. Our feeling of well-being peaks on weekends, largely because of more time spent with friends and family, this academic says.
Busy lives can get in the way of happiness. Our feeling of well-being peaks on weekends, largely because of more time spent with friends and family, this academic says.
Income
Equality Helps (So Move to Scandinavia)
National unhappiness is strongly associated with a country’s social inequality, research shows. One index finds that Scandinavia, a place with a wide and broad social net, is the location of the world’s happiest countries.
National unhappiness is strongly associated with a country’s social inequality, research shows. One index finds that Scandinavia, a place with a wide and broad social net, is the location of the world’s happiest countries.
Gratitude
Does, Too
Pharrell Williams, the star behind the 2014 hit music video “Happy,” on the happiness phenomenon: ”If you’re grateful, you can find happiness in everything.”
Pharrell Williams, the star behind the 2014 hit music video “Happy,” on the happiness phenomenon: ”If you’re grateful, you can find happiness in everything.”
The
Health Factor
A correlation between happiness and good health has been evident for centuries. But which comes first? Does robust health lead to a good mood or the reverse?
A correlation between happiness and good health has been evident for centuries. But which comes first? Does robust health lead to a good mood or the reverse?
It’s
Really Good for Kids
Happy kids learn faster, think more creatively, tend to be more resilient in the face of failures, have stronger relationships and make friends more easily.
Happy kids learn faster, think more creatively, tend to be more resilient in the face of failures, have stronger relationships and make friends more easily.
Well, most
of them. Fifteen-year-old girls were found to be the unhappiest group in this
report last month on boys and girls.
Don’t
Overdo It
Happiness engineers, chief fun officers, ministers of happiness … there’s evidence that “fungineering” at work might have precisely the opposite effect: making people miserable.
Happiness engineers, chief fun officers, ministers of happiness … there’s evidence that “fungineering” at work might have precisely the opposite effect: making people miserable.
And
Don’t Obsess About It
Four academics discuss whether the pursuit of happiness is an unhealthy preoccupation.
Four academics discuss whether the pursuit of happiness is an unhealthy preoccupation.
If
All Else Fails, Fake It
Can you fake your way to confidence and happiness? You can, if you “just say yes,” advise self-help books by Amy Cuddy and Shonda Rhimes.
Can you fake your way to confidence and happiness? You can, if you “just say yes,” advise self-help books by Amy Cuddy and Shonda Rhimes.
Students: Read the entire article, then tell us:
— What recent moments of happiness
have you experienced, whether large or small? What do you think made them so
satisfying?
— Have you figured out a “magic
formula” for happiness that works for you? What are the ingredients? Do you
think those ingredients will change as you get older?
— Look through the list that Ms.
Shannon compiled? What is your reaction? Did anything surprise you?
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