Don’t worry, be happy!
Who still remembers Bobby McFerrin’s catchy tune “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” whichwas played nonstop on the radio , at least duringmy childhood and teenage years? In the meantime, happiness research has become an integral part of positive psychology, aiming to uncover what it takes to lead a happy life. Sonja Lyubomirsky’s research is particularly noteworthy in this regard: she interviewed identical twins who were separated at birth and later reunited in order to determine the genetic influence on happiness. The resulting findings are fascinating.
Our sense of happiness is 50% influenced by our genetic base,
but 40% is a conscious decision.
According to the research results, the general feeling of happiness – whether we are rather optimistic or rather pessimistic – is influenced by our genes to about 50%. Lyubomirsky speaks of the happiness fixed point, which is controlled by messenger substances in our brain and the resulting drive and the associated well-being. Our sense of happiness also depends on the circumstances of life, although this influence is reduced to about 10% as soon as a general satisfaction with it is achieved. Lyubomirsky justifies this by saying that we quickly get used to improved life conditions and that the happiness-making effect, for example of a wage increase or a positive experience, quickly fades. Thus, accordingly, around 40% of the individual feeling of happiness is in our own hands: Whether we experience an event as bringing or reducing happiness can be decided by us.
Strategies to strengthen our sense of happiness
In her book *The How of Happiness*, Lyubomirsky describes12 strategies forboosting our sense of happinessand developing new habits as a result. My personal favorites are:
Avoid unnecessary overthinking and social comparisons: The more we focuson what we have andrefrain from comparing ourselves to people who seem more attractive, wealthier, or better off, the easier it becomes to feel gratitude—and thus a sense of happiness—for our own lives. Stepping away from social media and not looking at those who seem more successful contributes to our own happiness.
Nurturing our circle of friends: People who are well-disposed toward us, wholisten tous, and whose lives wecan shareinare good for us. Regular get-togethers, spontaneous contact, or sharing experiences should therefore have just as much a place in our daily lives as our emails or urgent tasks.
Learning to Forgive: If we cling to anger and resentment, thepastpoisonsour present, and we deny ourselves the chance for happiness in the here and now. Forgiveness does not mean condoning wrongdoing; rather, it involves learning from the past, coming to terms with it, and letting go of past emotions and events.
Taking care of our bodies and minds: Whether it’s exercise, relaxation, an engaging book,or meditation, when we do somethingthat’s good for us and our bodies, we automatically feel more positive—and therefore happier.
Contentment instead of short-term happiness
In the meantime,our understanding of happiness hasevolved .In his book*Flourish*, Seligmanarguesthat happiness is a fleeting emotion and that “contentment” is a more appropriate term for a positive outlook on life, as it describes a longer-lasting, stable state of peace and fulfillment. Regardless of the term: Recent research also confirms that Appius Claudius Caecus was right, some 300 years before the birth of Christ, when he stated that we ourselves are the architects of our own happiness. This makes it all the more important to use our genetic “happiness point” merely as a springboard for even greater life satisfaction!
Would you like to increase your "feeling of happiness"?
Finding out what is good for me
Whether as a diary, as a weekly calendar or with a post-it: For two or three weeks, take notes of the activities which create feelings of satisfaction, and then in a second step plan such activities more consciously and thus ensure sufficient moments of happiness.
Finding out who is good for me
Draw a diagram on a piece of paper with the axes "quality" and "frequency" and note how often and with what quality of happiness you meet people to then in a second step consider where adjustments are needed and how these are made possible.
Expand my knowledge of happiness research
Take half an hour and listen to the summary of Sonja Lyubomirski’s book *The How of Happiness*
Do you want to strengthen your team's "feeling of happiness"?
Share "moments of happiness" during team meetings
At the beginning as a check-in or during the meeting, share (professional) moments of satisfaction and flow and reflect together on what it takes to create them and how they can become more frequent.
Working on psychological safety within the team
If you can be who you are without getting eye rolls or criticism in return, this leads to more openness, mutual trust and psychological security. Not having to pretend does not lead to an immediate feeling of happiness, but it creates the relaxation to be able to perceive contentment. And the more open everyone is with each other, the more you know who is satisfied with what and can contribute yourself. On Psych Safety Training there are many simple exercises that strengthen the psychological safety of a team.