Happiness Habits

After exploring the many different ways in which one can find happiness, I have concluded that the search for happiness in life is quite important to us humans.  Many books sold on the subject and the wide array of articles and blogs on the web regarding happiness reflect this. I believe that the search for happiness will be different for everyone. For example, a person who is struggling financially may start their search by looking outward, while holding close the idea that money will make them happy. In contrast, a wealthy person who is feeling unhappy, may likely start their search looking inward in order to discover what lies deep inside themselves, longing to understand why money hasn’t changed their level of  happiness.   I have also learned that happiness takes practice, and we cannot expect to be happy all of the time. In this day and age, life is complicated and uncertain, so at times, it may seem that true happiness is far from our reach.  I have found through my research however, that if we begin to enjoy the simple things life offers us, and start to practice appreciation for those things, we could very well be on our way to more joy in our lives. I have also discovered through my research, that I am not convinced a specific place or area in the world provides more happiness than others. Our degree of happiness follows us wherever we go, it is deep in our essence.

During my research, I explored the idea of family being a crucial aspect to  happiness. I would like  to do more research on this notion. It is clear to me, that there are many dysfunctional families in todays modern society, and I want to believe, that happiness is in reach for the people who find themselves lacking in  the warmth and comfort a close family provides.  I also explored the idea of finding a purpose in life as a means to more happiness.  This idea resonates with me, as I believe that until we know why we are on this journey of life, we may feel that our life is just a moot point.   However, I have found that in searching for our life’s purpose, we can instill deep in ourselves, new habits, and more positive ways of thinking, which in turn will point us in the best direction while traveling the road toward happiness.

Exercising the Blues Away

I start my post off today by asking a few simple questions, why do Americans continue to take part in behaviors that are bad for their bodies? For example many people in our country still smoke cigarettes.  Why would people choose the path of smoking cigarettes?   Many people in our country are obese and avoid physical fitness.  I wonder why don’t Americans exercise more? And, why is it so hard to change these negative habits and adopt new ones? Could this type of ignorance play a role in Americans feeling unhappy? In an article titled, "An Exercise in Happiness" posted on the Happy Magazine website, kinesiologist  and certified strength training coach, Celine Saroyan claims, we can exercise our way to happiness.

Most people have heard of the mood neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin, the happy chemicals in our brain. These neurotransmitters are released during exercise, notes Saroyan.  In her article, Saroyan adds, that exercise also releases  growth hormones, which increase the supply of blood and oxygen to the brain, thus, releasing powerful mood-enhancing endorphins. 

         Saroyan goes on to explain, that endorphins are measureable, act as the body’s natural painkiller and start releasing soon after one starts to exercise. These endorphins that our body produces naturally, have four key affects on the body; pain relief, stress reduction, anxiety reduction and immune system enhancement. The perfect prescription for happiness it seems. According to Saroyan, it doesn’t matter the level of exercise we engage in, our bodies are still going to release these endorphins, which promote a better mood. Saroyan proposes however, that moderate levels of exercise, has the greatest effect on serotonin and dopamine levels.

Saroyan concedes, that the benefits of exercise can also have an effect on the mind/body connection as well.  We feel good about our physical looks and accomplishment associated with consistent exercise, implies Saroyan.  Likewise, Saroyan contends, that by keeping appointments with the gym and our workouts, we take the time needed to take care of our bodies and in turn feel better about ourselves.

 And finally, according to Saroyan, a compelling study by biochemistry scientists at Princeton, discovered, that exercise can also stimulates the creation of new brain cells, and furthermore, suggest these new brain cells may be more resistant to stress than our old ones. This makes me wonder, how resistance to stress could raise our levels of happiness?


There seems to be a recurring theme of self in my search for happiness thus far, Dan Buetter, author of Thrive, refers to 'Self' as  being one of the six domains of happiness. When encouraging  exercise and it's link to happiness,  Saroyan seems to be expressing that the self awareness of our bodies might bring more joy. I have been exercising for all my life, I can feel the endorphins swirling around my body. I  know that when I focus on myself and my needs in terms of exercise,  I tend to be happier for it. 

I end this post with the simple idea of engaging in exercise more often as perhaps one answer to finding more joy in our lives. Exercise may not be the end- all cure for unhappiness, but it just might make us look and feel better during our relentless search to find happiness,  and hey, that's not so bad, is it?  

/thehappymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/WMYH-Exercise-in-Happiness.pdf/thehappymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/WMYH-Exercise-in-Happiness.pdf

www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/10/12/the-dalai-lama-is-wrong/

The Green Dream

Have you ever noticed that whenever people discuss the idea of happiness, money always rears it’s fancy green head?  People without money often seem to take the stance that having money would “solve everything.”  I have heard this many times and I must admit at times I concur. I wonder however, how could money truly change our lives for the better? Aside from going on great vacations, driving a nice car, and wearing beautiful clothes, how would our thought process change by living a wealthier lifestyle.  I wonder could we become a different person by having wealth? I have heard people say often times, “money has changed him/her” when referring to people who have newfound riches.  Could having money change a person for the better?

Sonja Lyubomirsky wrote an interesting article posted on the Scientific American website titled, "Can Money Buy Happiness,"where she discusses, the positive and negatives of having money, and offers us some refreshing new ways to view wealth.  Lyubomirsky suggest that our unstable economic times, is leading many in our society to harbor negative feelings toward the rich.  The Statistic showing that the wealthiest Americans earning over $300,000 annually, donate a mere 4 percent of their incomes to charity, only stoke the burning coals of envy and anger. Before we get too green with envy however, consider a study that Lyubomirsky revealed in her article, which was reported on in, Psychological Science.  Through this study involving, chocolates, and pictures of money, it was conveyed that, although wealth may grant us opportunities to purchase many things, it simultaneously impairs our ability to enjoy those things. This quirky research revealed oddly enough, that money had the ability to ruin our appetite. Participants who were shown pictures of money seemed less able to enjoy the pleasurable task of eating the chocolate, than participants not shown the pictures of money. It seems through this study that money does have a profound effect on us.

Further more, Lyubomirsky’s article hypothesizes that being wealthy allows one to experience the best that life has to offer, and in doing so undermines one’s ability to enjoy the little things in life, while at the same time raising expectation levels regarding happiness. The idea however, that money cannot make us happy may be somewhat of a stretch. Lyubomirsky also notes, that a growing social science of money, is showing how we can compensate for some of it’s damaging effects, by gaining rewarding experiences out of our spending, and by using money to grow as a person.  Using money to acquire the ability learn guitar for example, or using it to find ways to contribute to the community, experiencing new activities and hobbies, and, finally, spending on small pleasures, rather than on lavish ones, are among ways to maintain inner happiness through wealth. 

During my research,  I inquired into one of The Dali Lama’s famous quote regarding money and happiness. The quote, “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present moment or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and the dies having never really lived,” has gotten Forbes magazine contributor, Erik Kain, expressing some valid concerns.  In his article titled,"The Dali Lama is Wrong,"Kain, questions The Dali Lama’s truths, by asking, if our society is so perverse as to ignore our families and ourselves by simply earning money to live on?  Kain does not think so.  Kain brings up the fact that, in the United Sates, many people access the healthcare system through their work. So, to strive to make money can make even more sense when contemplating one’s health.  Kain goes on to imply that, perhaps The Dali Lama isn’t able to connect with the ideas of working hard for a living, due to being born into a high Tibetan social pyramid.  Kain suggest that, The Dali Lama has perhaps, never needed to worry about money due to his social standing.  Kain’s points regarding his feeling, that most people do struggle and work hard for their loved one’s, in order to sneak in quality time with them, seem valid, and easy to understand.  His sentiment is in strong opposition to the Dali Lamas idea that, most people live as though they will never die and then die without ever having truly lived. 

Does working hard, and striving for money damage the inner soul of man as the Dali Lama alludes?  Does the relentless search for more green keep us unhappy and unhealthy?  These questions, and impressions, bring me back to the beginning of this post; perhaps money can bring more happiness, while affording us the ability to spend more time with loved ones.  It seems we might gain happiness through money as well, by spending it with more meaning and deeper thought.  Many of us won’t have much money in our lifetime however. What are other ways can we find happiness if money is not in our cards?  

www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/10/12/the-dalai-lama-is-wrong/

www.dalailama.com/news/post/218-dalai-lama-offers-words-of-wisdom-about-happiness

www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=can-money-buy-happiness

www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/opinion/07kristof.html

102 year old Costa Rican man Don Faustino

Happy Costa Rica

Author Dan Buettner was fortunate enough to have National Geographic Magazine sponsor and support his research into the quest for longevity, happiness, and well- being. In The Blue Zones, Buetter writes of cities spanning the globe, where people live longer and consistently report high levels of happiness.  Cities such as Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Italy, Loma Linda, California, and Ikaria, Greece, offer us their unique and enticing recipes for a more positive livelihood. 

Through his research, Buettner identified specific themes and lifestyles that helped instill a happier and more contented way of living.  In Nicoya, Costa Rica for example, lives Don Faustino, a 102 year old man who takes a weekly bus ride to a local farmers market and purchases fresh food for his large extended family.  Even at 102 this Cost Rican man see’s himself as the patriarch to many generations of relatives, he has a purpose in life, and a strong bond to family, simply put, Don Faustino has a sense of self.  A sense of self, is one of the Six Thrive Centers or life domains that Buettner explores in his book, Thrive. Buettner suggests in Thrive, that through these life domains we have the potential to find happiness. Along with the concept of Self, Buettner identified five other Thrive Centers which are the core ideas behind happiness; Community, Workplace, Social Life, Home and Financial Life.   I look forward to delving into the specifics of these Thrive Centers in upcoming posts.

I found an interesting article today titled, "The Happiest People," written by New York Times columnist, Nicholas D. Kristof.  According to Kristoff, the World Database of Happiness, (yes, there really is such a thing) ranks Costa Rica as the #1 happy place amongst 148 candidates.  In his article, Kristof offers up the idea, that Costa Rica ranks high on the chart of happiness and contentment due to dissolving it’s armed forces in 1949, to instead invest in education. I love the notion of gaining intelligence, avoiding conflict, and getting happy! The investment in education has resulted in an improved Costa Rica with many societal successes, such as, gender equality, improvements in health care, and environmental preservation, as a result, a happier society.

To find Happiness, I offer the compelling idea of searching for a purpose in your life.  At this point in time, my kids are my purpose. They deserve all I can give, however, I do long to find another equally deep purpose at some point in time, and I am currently starting my search. I believe participating in something of social importance, which affects the greater good of mankind, could be a brilliant start. I suggest the idea of volunteering one’s time as a means to finding more happiness and contentment. Who knows, one hour a week at the local food bank could lead to Nirvana.  Education seems to bring happiness as well, when we feel smart, we feel better about ourselves, and that is something we all want.  So, take a class, consider finishing your degree, learn how to knit, crochet, play guitar, or find a cure for cancer, what ever it may be, just learn.

My thoughts wander back to Don Faustino, and how important he felt at age 102 getting on the bus for a trip to the local farmers market. He seemed to find happiness in the simple task of buying fresh food for his loved ones. So, I end with two final thoughts, while cooking for your family tonight or working hard around the house for your wife, think of Don Faustino, and know that you are forging a path to happiness and contentment with your giving and sharing of yourself.  And lastly, think about a trip to Costa Rica, I know I am.

Faces in The Crowd

Faces in the Crowd

While in the grocery store the other day I started noticing people more than I usually do. I noticed most everyone shopping alone, wore a basically unhappy face.  People’s lips were puckered in dissatisfaction and bitterness.  I was alone and wasn’t particularly happy that day, so I wondered, do I look like that?  I made some subtly changes to my inner mood, in hopes to reflect outwardly a more joyful me. I noticed that Moms with children seemed too busy and preoccupied to actually look unhappy, and the people who were with a husband, partner or friend seemed relatively happier, but even still, they all seemed somewhat dispirited.

Viewing these people’s faces got me thinking about happiness, and why often times, it can be  allusive for most of us.  People in our society are relatively unhappy in my opinion.  The proof is in the pudding, or should I say, on Amazon.com.  Amazon lists the Top 10 books on Happiness on their website, along with claims they will help you find “joy and meaning.”  Books such as; The Happiness Solution, The Art of Happiness, Happiness Now, Authentic Happiness, The Blue Zones, all claim they will help us find more fulfillment, joy, and meaning.   Written words on happiness, seems to bring big business, selling millions of copies.  So, if we are willing to pay millions to get the scoop on happiness, then there must be a problem.

I live in a relatively healthy town.  My town’s people are, eating right, practicing yoga and exercising regularly. Yet somehow, these people still don’t seem happy to me. I asked myself, if despite eating right and exercising, might the overall health of our country be at risk due to, simply being unhappy? Might we die of unhappiness so to speak, and not even know it?  I have heard of people dying of loneliness, this must be closely related. I have also heard numerous times; laughter is the best medicine.  I have always liked this saying and long to believe it true. How can we find more to laugh about?

             I wonder if people in other countries are as unhappy as Americans?  Is the possibility of our current economic demise fueling the fire of unhappiness?  If so, does that mean money makes us happy?  I’ve read many articles exploring the idea that money can’t buy happiness, not by a long shot.  In my opinion, buying ‘things’ only leads to, well…more ‘things’ not happiness. I do understand  that our society is in a compromising position so to speak. Humans have many valid concerns, such as, the un-employment rate, the economy, our misguided government, high taxes, personal issues, and the list could go on.  I challenge these worries however, by asking one simple question; what if none of this changes?  Are we then forever in the perils of discontent due to our personal and societal shortcomings?  In my opinion, we can’t afford to wait for happiness to come to us, we need to feel it now, despite our current state of affairs. 

I believe our world is evolving, change is happening right now, and it’s making us uncertain, as well as, unhappy.   I believe these changes, shouldn’t lead us to a dead end of discontentment, we need to find another route.  This blog will explore the many different ideas and concepts offered through, books, and articles, websites, regarding happiness. Through a bit of research and inner dialogue, we may even discover our own path to true happiness.  I can relate to John Mayer’s, The Age of Worry, when he croons  “sing out in the age of worry and say worry get out of here.”