Science | Live Happy

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What is Positive Psychology—and What Does it Do for Us?

When Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., became president of the American Psychological Association in 1998, he chose a theme that would change the course of modern psychology. Until that point, psychology had focused on studying and correcting abnormal behaviors and mental illness; in essence, it was about fixing what was “wrong.” Martin introduced a radical new concept: to focus instead on happiness and positivity to encourage what was right and nurture our best assets. This approach spawned a movement and area of study that today is known as positive psychology. Martin, flanked by psychologists Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Ph.D., and Christopher Peterson, Ph.D., is viewed as a founding father and chief architect of this new mindset, presenting a broad range of solutions for discovering personal happiness. Martin’s theory of PERMA, Mihaly’s theory of flow and Chris and Martin’s groundbreaking work on character strengths and virtues all were major contributions to the foundation of positive psychology. This combination of feeling well and functioning on a higher level quickly resonated with both practitioners and the general public. Positive psychology offered many paths to nurturing that well-being, including character strengths, meaning and purpose, flow and mindfulness, hope and optimism—and more. “Once every 500 years an idea comes along that sweeps away the religious and political doctrines of the time and creates entirely new structure,” Martin said at the Fifth World Congress on Positive Psychology in 2017. “I believe that idea is human flourishing and well-being…the building of human flourishing and the building of well-being.” Moving Into the Mainstream Martin defines positive psychology as “the study of what constitutes the pleasant life, the engaged life and the meaningful life.” His goal—to shift the psychology mindset from a disease-focused model to one that searches for the conditions that lead to flourishing—has taken root over the past two decades. Since 2000, according to University of Cambridge’s Felicia A. Huppert, initiatives and interventions have been adopted by schools, colleges and universities, giving rise to the growing practice of positive education. Today, the applications of positive psychology go far beyond the classrooms, reaching into corporations and governments. “The most impactful steps are those taken by the big players, like national governments and the United Nations,” says Anneke Buffone, lead research scientist for the World Well-Being Project at the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. “They have understood the importance of well-being and have begun to act. Governments today understand that a nation’s growth and success is about so much more than the [Gross Domestic Product]. The effects of this will be profound.” Already, it has changed the way some governments measure success. In 2011, the Kingdom of Bhutan, which has built policy around the Gross National Happiness Index rather than the GDP, introduced a resolution to the U.N. General Assembly. The measure, which the U.N. adopted, called for a global emphasis on happiness and well-being. Today, the United Arab Emirates even has a ministry of happiness, whose role is to develop strategies for promoting well-being among its citizens. Many governments have adopted a happiness focus and strategically implemented changes that lead citizens toward greater well-being, Anneke says. Projects like the annual World Happiness Report, a survey of global happiness published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, help raise awareness about happiness around the world and the conditions that support it as well as those that undermine it. Taking Positive Psychology to Work Much of our lives are spent working, and Anneke says the workplace is one area where positive psychology’s influence is most evident. “Countless workplaces now have well-being initiatives and there are more discussions than ever about policies that support better work-life balance,” she says. “Millennials demand jobs that fulfill them and allow them to strategically use character strengths, which is a direct result of positive psychology principles that have been disseminated in our society.” That may be the reason for the mindset shift reflected in Gallup’s State of the American Workplace 2017 report. Today, 53 percent of Americans say they would rather have a job that contributes to their personal well-being than one that pays well. They’re looking for greater work-life balance and consider well-being to be “very important” in their job choices. And, Anneke says, industry is taking note. “More and more companies aspire to be positive businesses, companies that value making the world a better place, companies that want to create value for customers, employees and the company as a whole.” For example, concepts like Mihaly’s theory of flow—which is a mental state of marked energized focus and engagement—have been adopted by forward-thinking workplaces that see the benefit both for the employee and the company. Additionally, many organizations—including Goldman Sachs and IBM—have created resilience programs to help employees better manage the unique stresses of their jobs. Bringing It Home Positive psychology is also being welcomed as a tool for parenting and improving relationships. Practices that are integral to positive psychology, such as gratitude, compassion, savoring and optimism all provide pathways to stronger relationships at home. Courses and books on topics like mindful parenting and strengths-based parenting have helped shift the focus to emphasizing what works, what needs to be encouraged and how to bring out the best in a child. Like the science in which it is rooted, positive parenting is about identifying and using one’s potential and abilities to create a happy and meaningful life. And, with the “R” in PERMA standing for positive relationships, it’s no surprise that positive psychology tenets play a major factor in how our closest and most important relationships play out. Learning how to improve those bonds with positive psychology practices, both as a giver and as a recipient, increases the strength of our relationships. That, in turn, contributes to what is called the “upward spiral” of happiness. Today, Anneke says scientists see more integration of positive psychology and technology. “I believe this space will become more impactful, especially as data empowers people to manage their own well-being,” she says. “Positive psychology principles can be guiding principles of transformation, which will have an unbelievably positive impact on current and future generations."

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science

An Alternative Approach to Happiness

In 1967, concert audiences were treated to one of the most bizarre musical pairings in history. Jimi Hendrix and his psychedelic rock band toured as the opening act for The Monkees. The Monkees wanted validation as serious musicians, and Jimi’s band had a large fan base in England but was relatively unknown in the U.S. Jacksonville, Florida, was one venue serving as the scene of this cultural implosion. Conservative fans of The Monkees were taken aback by the sight of Jimi in a neon-colored shirt violently strumming his guitar before setting it on fire. When Jimi asked the crowd to sing along to “Foxy Lady,” they drowned him out with chants of “We want Davy!” A few gigs later in New York, Jimi, tired of the “We want The Monkees” chant, offered a middle finger to the crowd before walking off the stage and quitting the tour. Instead of modifying their sound to gain mainstream appeal, the collective anger of the three members of the Jimi Hendrix Experience served as energy to embrace their nonconformity, solidify their musical identity and invent a style so distinct that musical historians talk about electric guitar playing in categories of before and after their arrival. People spend time and effort seeking out positive experiences and cherishing them. I am not going to rally against jumping into a cool lake on a warm summer afternoon, cuddling with a loved one on a picnic blanket or enjoying the first few bites of a bacon-wrapped scallop drizzled in maple syrup. Moments are the building blocks of a satisfying life, and we benefit from noticing, engaging, enriching and absorbing these and other pleasurable experiences. Make no mistake, pleasurable moments are good. Yet there is no escaping negative experiences, which are often the springboards to the highest peaks. We might not welcome physical pain, social awkwardness, relationship dissolution, negative feedback or tough negotiations as the ingredients for an ideal life. And yet, each of these uncomfortable experiences has the potential of aiding knowledge and skill development and strengthening social bonds. Beware of Labels Scientists Gerald Clore and Norbert Schwarz have accumulated evidence for decades to showcase some of the dangers of treating “feelings as information.” What could possibly go wrong by interpreting what feels good as something that is good? The answer is a lot. When experiencing a benign feeling such as admiration, aesthetic appreciation, calmness or satisfaction, we see little reason to engage in effortful, detailed thinking and instead process information less carefully, even superficially. We are prone to mental errors that fail to account for uncertainty or complexity. When in a group of people similar in personality, values or race trying to generate creative solutions, there is some evidence of subpar performance compared to a diverse group. And yet, we think our cohesive, highly synchronized group of similar people is doing better. The reason is that being around people who look the same and think the same feels comfortable and this positive state is interpreted as evidence of high functionality—in this case, high creative performance. In the diverse group, there is more tension and awkwardness and this discomfort is often avoided at the expense of effective group performance. In a similar vein, when we feel happy, we are more prone to racial and ethnic stereotyping, we are more gullible and we produce less accurate and detailed memories. When happy, there can be less motivation to exert energy and effort. Depending on the situation and desired outcome, you might benefit from being mildly unhappy—feeling slightly anxious, sad, angry, confused or guilty. Pain as Social Glue It also turns out that people are hard-wired to connect through pain. A study conducted by Jim Coan, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Virginia illustrates this point. The researchers wanted to know whether physical threats to a close friend—electric shocks to the ankle in this case—led to a pattern of brain activity that was similar to shocks administered to strangers. The researchers discovered that the brain regions activated when someone received a personal shock happened to be nearly identical to the brain regions activated when the shock was delivered to their friend but not to a stranger. From an evolutionary perspective, this makes sense. To increase the probability of survival, we need to find people we can rely on who will expand our strength, stamina, knowledge and social network. When we travel to a foreign country, it is helpful to have a companion who speaks the local language. When we are mountaineering, a rock scramble appears less steep when standing beside a close friend. Our brains treat close, reliable people in our social networks as part of the self—resources we can depend on in a crunch. Pain, as it turns out, offers a shortcut to forming mutually beneficial relationships. A research team in Australia recently investigated if shared pain fosters social bonding. People enduring painful tasks such as submerging their hands in ice-cold water with future group members felt a greater sense of loyalty and showed a boost in cooperation while completing subsequent challenges. Shared painful experiences speed up the intimacy process. This is why people offering help during tragedies such as hurricanes or terrorist attacks often establish lasting friendships. Our wider social network offers a sense of connection and resources that can be drawn upon in future difficulties. Negative emotions, pain, stressors and strains often serve as social glue. In a culture that increasingly prizes positivity, we need opportunities to candidly express and experience pain and discomfort. One of the great paradoxes is that by being vulnerable with other people, sharing and disclosing painful events, we end up feeling more comfortable, connected and courageous. It might not feel good, but sometimes feeling bad is exactly what we need to live well. We might not become the greatest guitarist of all time, but learning how to sit with, work with and channel our negative emotions can assuredly lead us to greater achievements, relationships and a sense of happiness and meaning in life.

Ed Diener | Professor of Psychology, Author

science

Renowned Happiness Researcher Ed Diener Dies

Ed Diener, one of the trailblazers in the study of happiness and well-being, died on April 27. As one of the world’s most cited scholars in the field, Diener had earned the title “Dr. Happiness” from his students and was among the most eminent research psychologists in the world. His interest in studying happiness began as a college student in the mid-1960s — long before it was accepted as a legitimate researched topic — but it wasn’t until the early 1980s, as a tenured professor, that he was able to immerse himself into research on happiness. Diener coined the term “subjective well-being” (or SWB) as a measurement of happiness and in 1984, he published hisSatisfaction with Life Scale, a scientific measurement of subjective well-being that is still used today. Another major contribution to the field of positive psychology was his research on whether people are happy or not and the genetic basis for happiness. His research dispelled many of the myths about happiness and provided insight into how income, upbringing, relationships, and governmental policies affect personal happiness. His research also underscored how enjoying life is a strong predictor of good health and longevity. As a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and the University of Utah and senior scientist for the Gallup Organization, Diener was both an admired teacher and a gifted researcher. He earned numerous teaching awards, and his work has garnered more than 250,000 citations. His work also appeared in more than 400 publications, and he served as president of three scientific societies, was editor of three scientific journals, and the recipient of numerous major awards in the field of psychology. His passing drew messages of gratitude and grief from around the globe. “Ed Diener was a trailblazer in the study of happiness, and weare saddened by the passing of one of the fathers of Positive Psychology,” said Live Happy CEO and co-founder Deborah Heisz.“He inspired countless others through his research and teachings to study and implement strategies to improve human well-being. We at Live Happy are grateful beneficiaries of his legacy."

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science

Happy for Life

A long, full and vibrant life has long been seen as an enviable stroke of good luck, the result of good genes or perhaps a gift from the gods. As technology continues to provide new medical breakthroughs that can expand our lifespans, the idea of a long life seems to be an attainable goal for most of us. But there’s a catch, says David Ekerdt, Ph.D., a professor of sociology and gerontology at the University of Kansas. While David acknowledges that a longer life has become a valued public health objective, he observes that, “At the individual level, longer lives are a goal only if [the individual] remains healthy.” His study, “Is longevity a value for older adults?” was published in December in the Journal of Aging Studies. He looked at aging adults from China, Germany and the U.S. and found they all shared one common belief: A long life requires good health to make it worthwhile. Recent research shows the path to long-term health may not be as dependent on genes or good luck as we once thought; science shows that our thoughts and actions play a bigger role in overall health than we previously realized. Starting Younger, Living Better If it’s a long, happy life you’re after, the time to start is now—regardless of whether you’re 5 or 35. The foundation for a long life is established early on; the habits and mindset you pick up along the way will affect your health much more than your family traits and curses. George Vaillant, director emeritus of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, says how long and how well we live is about much more than our genes, jobs, physical exercise or diet. The Harvard study, launched in 1938, examines what creates a long, healthy life. Today, it extends to the descendants of that original research project and gives an unprecedented look into what allows us to live better. “Genetics has much less effect on how long someone lives than their habits,” says George, who headed the study for 30 years. He found alcoholism and smoking to be the two deadliest practices, while moderate exercise and a stable weight tend to equal a longer life. Beyond that, the research shows, longevity depends upon our emotions and relationships. “People who live a long time have a lot of positive emotion,” he says. “And that means being part of a community. It’s hard to have positive emotion on a deserted island; you need other people.” Finding Your Tribe Positive emotions and good relationships are not only bedrock principles of positive psychology; they have been found to be instrumental to good health. While unhappy marriages and stressful relationships have been proven deterrents to good health, individuals with healthy relationships have 35 percent fewer illnesses. “The key to healthy aging is relationships, relationships, relationships,” George says. Well-being researcher Dan Buettner agrees. The Blue Zones author has studied what leads to longer, more fulfilling lives and has found that not only are happiness and good health tightly intertwined, but that social interaction can help you live longer and better. “We are more likely to be happy if we get five to seven hours of meaningful social interaction a day,” he says. “Making sure that you have happy friends affects how long you live, because that’s contagious. And focusing on your immediate social network is more important than either diet or exercise programs when it comes to living a long, happy, healthy life.” He says having five positive-minded people who share interests in recreation—whether it’s golfing, walking or gardening—and who truly care about you will have powerful incremental effects on your well-being. “That is almost the surest thing you can do in the long run for both making it to a healthy age 90 or 95 and enjoying the journey. [Happiness adds] about eight years to your life expectancy; it’s almost as good for you as quitting smoking.” Tending to Your Telomeres If the notion that simply being happy and focusing on positive relationships can offset aging seems hard to believe, Elissa Epel, Ph.D., has the proof. Elissa co-authored the book, The Telomere Effect with 2009 Nobel Prize winner Elizabeth Blackburn, Ph.D., and their research shows that greater happiness equals longer lives. Telomeres—those caps at the end of each strand of DNA—protect our chromosomes and affect how quickly and how well our cells age. Telomeres shorten as we age, but practices like smoking, lack of exercise, a poor diet and stress also can shorten them. But now, Elissa says, there’s growing proof that just changing your mindset can change your telomeres, leading to a longer, happier life. Focusing on the positive and finding ways to be fully engaged with your life has a proven association with longer telomeres. Practices like meditation, tai chi and qigong can reduce stress and increase the production of telomerase, an enzyme that replenishes telomeres. Adopting happiness practices and learning to focus on the positives are scientifically proven to be some of the most beneficial practices for maintaining the length of telomeres. “Mindset and mental health are some of the most important parts of healthy aging,” Elissa says. “We can’t forget the daily work of good, healthy habits…but fewer people realize that where we put our attention is also critically important.” Don’t miss Paula’s interview on the Live Happy Now podcast with Dr. Joe Bates as he explains how to use brain exercises to keep your mind young and fit. This article originally appeared in the October 2018 edition of Live Happy magazine.

Education

Higher Education With a Higher Purpose

When Universidad TecMilenio was established in 2002, it touted an innovative educational model that allowed students to take a more customized approach. Students have the flexibility to study the topics most applicable to them in crafting their ideal careers. As a spinoff of the prestigious Monterrey Institute of Technology, the school found almost immediate success and grew quickly. Today, it serves 43,000 students at 29 campuses throughout Mexico and offers an online component. Yet university leaders believed there was more they could offer to enhance students’ lives. "One of the things we began thinking about was how a university should be in the 21st century,” says Hector Escamilla, rector at Universidad TecMilenio. “We analyzed what was important in life, and found it was to be happy. And we also found that the people who are happiest are those who have a purpose in life.” The school then implemented another cutting-edge approach to education in 2012. “We could see that we should be doing better in higher education to provide the tools for people to get what they think is important in life,” Hector says. “We declared our vision [to be] to prepare people for their purpose in life and provide the competence to achieve it.” With that in mind, they created a new model for education built on the principles of happiness and well-being. They identified well-being as feeling well, being satisfied and living a life with purpose. Using the PERMA model (Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Achievement) from positive psychologist Martin Seligman, Ph.D., and adding components of mindfulness and well-being, they developed what Hector calls a “happiness and well-being ecosystem.” Today more than 700 faculty members and school leaders are certified in positive psychology, and all students take positive psychology and positive organization courses. The emphasis for students is to find their purpose and meaning in life while they develop global competencies that allow them to compete and excel in their chosen professions. “We believe the way we live will make a difference in the well-being of students,” Hector says. “The most important thing we know is that happiness leads to success, but success does not lead to happiness. That is why we want to focus on happiness.” He says the key performance indicators at Universidad TecMilenio are the happiness of the students and the rate of employment—and results in both of those areas show that it’s working. Among first-semester students, 87 percent report a positive change in the definition of their life purpose since beginning school, and students overall report an increase in happiness and well-being. It’s also translating well in the more traditional goals of employability, as 80 percent are working upon graduation. “College is only 4 or 5 percent of your life, and the degree is only a small portion of what you will do with your life,” Hector says. “It seems too narrow to only be focusing on that.” This article originally appeared in the June 2015 edition of Live Happy magazine.

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Research

What Can I Do to Increase My Happiness?

“Hey! I have a good idea,” says Emma, jumping in for the first time. “We—,” she glances behind her, “I mean, Ted—should stop making interpersonal comparisons.” The whole class laughs. “That way, he won’t want more stuff he doesn’t need and be less happy just because other people have more stuff.” Good reasoning, Emma—if at Ted’s expense! Too many people end up buying a house larger than they need and a deluxe car (or cars) to display their wealth. The result is to burden themselves, with colossal debt and the stress of meeting large debt repayments month after month. It’s awfully hard to enjoy your BMW if you can barely afford the gas to drive it. Because income trends upward during the working ages, you might think that people would become increasingly satisfied with their financial situation. Yet, in fact, there is very little change in financial satisfaction throughout the prime working years, due to the burden of debt repayment brought about by perpetually multiplying the list of things we want. It’s not until folks are into their retirement years, with incomes leveling off or even declining, that financial satisfaction improves noticeably. Children have completed school and are mainly self-supporting. Material aspirations decline as needs diminish in the so-called golden years, and the burden of debt is substantially reduced as mortgages and other debts are finally repaid. The lesson? “We can all increase happiness by focusing on what we really need and not worry about keeping up with our neighbors!” Ted exclaims. Yes, Ted, good on you and Emma: We can increase happiness by addressing our true needs and avoiding unnecessary debt. A pretty easy lesson? Sure, yet a word of warning: Eliminating social comparison is easier said than done. I live, for example, in quite a nice house. Some time ago, my daughter Molly’s soccer coach invited us to his residence for a get-together of players and parents. His house turned out to be quite grand, and I must admit that when I got back to my own dwelling, my pleasure in it was somewhat diminished. As Karl Marx says, “A house may be large or small; as long as the neighboring houses are likewise small it satisfies all social requirement for a residence. But let there arise next to the little house a palace, and the little house shrinks to a hut.” I should know better than to indulge in social comparison, but it’s hard to break the habit. Nevertheless, it’s definitely worth the effort. (Note to self: Remember this!) There’s a second, and perhaps easier, route to increasing happiness: improving our use of time. Each of us has only a given amount of time, and the more we devote to one activity, say, making money, the less time there is for others, like improving health and family life. Because wants regarding health and family life are relatively fixed compared with wants for living conditions, devoting time to an improvement in one’s health or family life will have a more lasting effect on happiness than increasing one’s income. Unfortunately, people spend a disproportionate amount of time trying to make more money, at the same time shortchanging things like family life and health. Look at the responses to this survey question: “Imagine you are 38 years old and offered a new position in a field you like. The job is more prestigious and will pay 15 percent more than your present job. It will also require more work hours and take you far away from your family more often. What is the likelihood you would take the job?” There are four response options. About a third of respondents say it is “very likely” that they would take the job; another third say “somewhat likely,” and the remaining third say “somewhat unlikely.” Not one person chooses the fourth option, “very unlikely.” Thus, in a survey in which respondents had previously said “having a happy marriage” was their top life goal, family life is sacrificed to make more money. What’s more, in all likelihood, health would suffer because of longer work hours and more time on the road. The preference for the new job option highlights how people typically misallocate time by downplaying family life and health relative to making money. It’s probable that some respondents who choose the money option rationalize their decision on the grounds that, despite their absence from home, more money will make for a happier family life—that money will substitute for personal presence. OK, but what sorts of things make people happy? In fact, many of the things that people enjoy, that make them most happy, require little or no money, though they do require time. Over the past few decades, numerous studies reveal how people use their time. People’s responses, based on personal diaries, cover the usual range of daily activities. Fortunately, one nationally representative inquiry hit on the idea of also asking respondents how enjoyable each activity was. The answers are on a 10-point scale from 1 (=dislike) to 10 (=like). Here are the most enjoyable activities (a rating greater than 7.5) ordered from high to low in terms of average score: 9.3 Sex 9.2 Play sports 9.1 Fishing 9.0 Art, music 8.9 Bars, lounges 8.8 Play with kids, hug and kiss 8.6 Talk to kids, read to kids 8.5 Church, sleep, attend movies 8.3 Read book, walk 8.2 Relax, magazines, visit, work break, meals away 8.0 Talk with family, listen to stereo 7.9 Lunch break 7.8 Home meal, TV, read paper 7.7 Knit, sew What stands out is that most of these activities don’t cost a lot, and some require no money at all. However, they do require time. Taking a job that would “require more work hours and take you far away from your family more often” would leave much less time for many of these sources of happiness. This survey of enjoyable activities is over 30 years old, so some items such as “knit” and “sew” seem out of date, at least for a large portion of the population. Perhaps now “surfing the Internet” and “tweeting” might substitute for knitting and sewing. Nonetheless, the essential findings of this early study are largely confirmed by a somewhat similar collaborative study, published in 2004 by psychologist Daniel Kahneman (again! the reference-level pioneer) and others. Those surveyed were Texas women who worked the previous day and were easy to reach, a convenience rather than random sample. The three items leading the list of most enjoyable activities are “intimate relations,” “socializing,” and “relaxing.” All three fit well with the items above. They take time, certainly, but they require little or no money. “So why do people do this—use up their time trying to make money?” asks Lily, looking perplexed. Exactly so, Lily—why do we? Very often, people misallocate their time, choosing the pursuit of money at the expense of other life goals. Why? “Because they think a lot of money will make them happy,” blurts out Ted. Yes, that’s the answer: because of the common belief that more money makes you happier. People don’t realize that their material wants increase in step with what they have. The expected increase in happiness resulting from more money turns out to be illusory, while the loss of happiness due to the sacrifice of family life and health is real. So, what will make you happier? Despite what I felt after leaving the soccer coach’s house, I know the answer is “more time devoted to things like family life and health, less time to the pursuit of money.” Focus on soccer, not the coach’s house. Adapted from An Economist’s Lessons on Happiness: Farewell Dismal Science by Richard A. Easterlin. Copyright ©2021. Published by Springer International Publishing under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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News & Trends

Finland Remains the World’s Happiest Country

For the fourth consecutive year, Finland was named the happiest country in the world in the 2021 World Happiness Report. The annual report, released by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, ranks countries according to national happiness in addition to providing in-depth reports on specific areas of happiness and well-being. The United States dropped one more spot in the rankings, from No. 18 last year to the 19th spot for 2021. Five years ago, the U.S. ranked 13th. The lowest-ranking countries were Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Afghanistan. The World Happiness Report has been produced every year since 2012 and uses data gathered by the Gallup World Poll. This year’s editors are John F. Helliwell, Richard Layard, Jeffrey D. Sachs, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Lara B. Aknin, and Shun Wang. While introducing the report during a workshop on Saturday, March 20 — the International Day of Happiness — Sachs noted that 2020 presented “the strangest year in producing the World Happiness Report.” “We were trying to understand and monitor in real-time incredibly complex challenges and changes,” he said. “The impacts of COVID-19 have differed so widely across different groups in society.” He added that as the pandemic continues unfolding, the report provides an analysis and snapshot of a complicated story. Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 This year’s report looked specifically at how the global coronavirus pandemic affected happiness and well-being around the globe. Not surprisingly, survey respondents reported their mental health was affected by COVID-19, and that decline was seen around the world. The UK, for example, reported a 47% increase in mental health problems. Globally, women, young people, and poorer populations were hit harder by the pandemic. The problem was exacerbated by the disruption of mental health services in many countries just when they were needed most. However, report authors noted, the positive effect is that more attention is being given to mental health and this increased awareness could pave the way for more research and better mental health services. One of the biggest impacts on happiness and well-being has been the lack of social connection during COVID-19. Due to physical distancing, lockdowns, and self-isolation, people had fewer opportunities to connect with others. Feelings of connectedness to others were related to levels of happiness, and when less social support was available, loneliness increased and happiness fell. In many cases, digital connections — such as Zoom — provided a way to stay less isolated, and that was reflected by the lower levels of happiness in people without proper digital connections. Other factors that further diminished happiness were prior mental illness and a sense of uncertainty about the future. Gallup’s Jon Clifton noted that loneliness has been greatly exacerbated by lockdowns: “Right now, over 300 million people in the world — that’s the same size as the United States — do not spend a single hour with a single friend.” Some of the practices found to offset loneliness and help people cope were gratitude, grit, volunteering, previous social connections, exercise, and having a pet. Work and Well-being Work and its effect on happiness has been widely studied, and in 2020, the results around the globe were similar. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve of Oxford University led a team of scholars to look at how COVID-19 affected work and well-being and discovered that as unemployment rose, the effects were “devastating.” That was true regardless of income levels, global location, or gender, and resulted in a 10-30% drop in well-being, depending on the situation. “At the start of the pandemic, 50% fewer jobs were being posted,” De Neve said. “As unemployment rose, job postings dropped. Not having a job or falling unemployed during a pandemic, mixed with half as few jobs available, is a toxic mixture.” As people became unemployed, their loneliness escalated. “There was about a 40% further impact on a person’s well-being if they didn’t have social support to rely on. People who [already] felt lonely were doubly impacted by losing their social networks at work.” During the pandemic, supportive management and job flexibility became more important drivers of happiness at work, while such factors as purpose, achievement, and learning at work became less important. However, a sense of belonging, trust, and support remained unchanged, which De Neve said indicated that what makes workplaces supportive of well-being in normal times also makes them more resilient in hard times. “Many more lessons can be learned from this on the future of work and how to build back happier,” he said.

Long table with people eating and drinking together in Finland

science

Finland Makes History With Third Consecutive Happiness Title

Winning once could be a fluke and twice a coincidence. But three times? Now that is a trend. For the first time since the World Happiness Report began tracking the happiest countries in the world, Finland has ranked number one in subjective well-being for three consecutive years. Released annually on March 20 coinciding with the International Day of Happiness, the World Happiness Report 2020—published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network with data from the Gallup World Poll—ranks 156 countries around the world on their citizens’ perception of happiness. According to the report, Finland held a significant lead over second-place Denmark, continuing its global dominance on happiness. While the Nordic countries traditionally rout the rest of the world on this list, two new countries have crept in Austria and Luxembourg. For the United States, it was a push, staying at 18 out of the top 20. In a released statement, Canadian economist and World Happiness Report editor John Helliwell said: “A happy social environment, whether urban or rural, is one where people feel a sense of belonging, where they trust and enjoy each other and their shared institutions. There is also more resilience, because shared trust reduces the burden of hardships, and thereby lessens the inequality of well-being.” New to the report in 2020 is the ranking of happiest cities with Helsinki, the capital of Finland, ranking first. According to the report, the world’s happiest cities are almost always in the happiest countries. A few of the factors that are taken into account to gauge the happiness of citizens are how a country or city handles social support networks and social trust, access to nature and green spaces, safe environments, trust and if strong relationships can be maintained. Jan Emmanuel De Neve, a Belgian economist and Director of the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, explains that the happiness of urban dwellers is often higher than the general population of lower economically developed countries compared to higher-income countries where the opposite is true. “But this urban happiness advantage evaporates and sometimes turns negative for cities in high-income countries, suggesting that the search for happiness may well be more fruitful when looking to live in more rural areas,” he says. The Top 20 happiest countries in the world include: 1.Finland 2.Denmark 3.Switzerland 4.Iceland 5.Norway 6.The Netherlands 7.Sweden 8.New Zealand 9.Luxembourg 10. Austria 11. Canada 12. Australia 13. United Kingdom 14. Israel 15. Costa Rica 16. Ireland 17. Germany 18. United States 19. Czech Republic 20. Belgium

Sad loving couple wife and husband sitting together looking at each other with love,

science

How Gratitude Heals Grief

Bev Meyer was standing at the bedside of her dying father when she felt an emotion she hadn’t anticipated: gratitude. Broken from years of heavy drinking and felled by a massive stroke, her father lay motionless, unable to communicate. As their troubled relationship drew to an inevitable close, Bev hung her head and cried, grieving as much for the relationship that had eluded them as for his impending death. Then, inexplicably, the man who couldn’t speak and could barely move reached up and gently touched her cheek. It was a final act of love and comfort that bridged a rocky history, and Bev was filled with an overwhelming outpouring of gratitude and relief. “I had many years of not feeling that love, so I carry that with me,” says Bev, of Oregon, Wisconsin. “I was so grateful that I was there for his last breath and could have that moment. Without that gratitude, I don’t know how I could ever get through my grief.” Although both gratitude and grief are common emotions, we don’t necessarily think of them as going hand in hand. However, gratitude can provide a powerful source of healing during the grieving process. “Gratitude reminds us that we can find happiness even when life is painful and messy, as it often is,” says Kingsley Gallup, MA, LPC and author of Project Personal Freedom. Presenting at the International Positive Psychology Association’s Fourth World Congress in 2015, she explained, “With gratitude, we can embrace our grief and burn it as fuel for our journey.” Regardless of the source of our grief—whether it’s a recent loss or a long-standing injury—Kingsley says that practicing gratitude is an effective way to reinstate joy in our lives. “For anyone who’s grieving, isn’t that what we want? To feel joyful again?” she asks. “Gratitude heals. I see it in my clients all the time, and it has healed me in my own journey.” Going Against the Grain Practicing gratitude while suffering with grief doesn’t feel instinctual or natural, she acknowledges, and many clients tell her that practicing gratitude “seems unrealistic.” Kingsley says that even though we are not hard-wired to feel thankful while suffering, adopting a gratitude practice can help us move through the grief process more purposefully. “Grief is part of the human condition,” she says, noting that grief comes from many types of losses. It can be the “loss of dreams, time, self esteem, enthusiasm, relationships and loved ones.” While the inevitability of grief is universal, each loss has its own nuances: losing a parent is different from losing a child; sudden, unexpected loss from a traumatic event will affect us differently than a death that was expected. Kingsley says making the decision to heal, and then taking action, is a key step. With the loss of a loved one, actions such as writing a letter of gratitude and acknowledging all the things you loved and appreciated about the person—and also what you learned and how they changed you—can be a powerful tool for healing and transformation. “There’s something unique about the deliberate act of writing that letter,” Kingsley says. “Then share it with a trusted individual or during a service or ritual; it’s very healing.” Regardless of the magnitude and depth of grief, Kingsley says, gratitude can close the gap between pain and peace, between grief and joy. “We grieve because we so deeply appreciated our loved one,” she says. “Gratitude bridges the past, present and future; it allows us to retrieve the positive from the past, and connects us with the present, and we embrace our good fortune.” And, ultimately, it delivers the future as we begin moving forward with optimism. When Holidays Hurt Grief is often magnified during the holiday season, and Kingsley believes the power of gratitude is also heightened during this time. She says using “the immeasurable power of gratitude” is a powerful tool that can help us cope with the emotions that accompany the holidays. “We can count blessings. We can count them daily—and deliberately,” she says. “Perhaps we will create a holiday tradition around blessings. Perhaps we will give gifts of gratitude. With gratitude, we can find beauty in our holiday sadness.” However, it’s equally important to acknowledge the grief as it arises. “We can lean into our grief as opposed to trying to avoid or outrun it,” she says. “Leaning into grief is about going within. By leaning into it, we actually move through it.” And, to help move through the complicated and challenging emotions that accompany the journey of grief, she says the holidays can provide the kind of reminders we need to celebrate what we have even as we acknowledge what’s been lost. “With gratitude, we focus on what is present,” Kingsley says. “We focus on the here and now. We allow ourselves to feel the pain, knowing that we wouldn’t hurt so much if we didn’t care so much.” She said thinking of the relationship as ongoing through memories provides a profound healing energy. “Grief may never end, per se, but it will change shape,” she says. “And we can do much to change its shape. Gratitude is acceptance. It allows us to embrace a chapter of life we hadn’t envisioned. When we can find the blessings, we are better able to let go.”

Spending more time near green and blue spaces may be the boost your well-being needs.

science

Finding Happiness With Nature

The association of nature and its positive impact on well-being has been widely researched in recent history. The largest study on natural spaces and wellness recently released suggests that living in areas without enough access to nature can contribute to premature death. Whether it’s to get nourishment, physical activity or serenity, being in nature can make us happier. According to the biophilia hypothesis, we have an innate connection with green and blue spaces and having more of it in our lives can do wonders for our well-being. A Walk in the Park Spending just 20 minutes in a city park can make you happier and you don’t even have to exercise, according to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research. The reason for this, researchers explain, is that urban parks provide opportunities for people to connect with nature as well as with each other. Nearly 100 participants filled out questionnaires regarding their subjective well-being before and after their park visits. Results show a “significant improvement” in subjective well-being after the visit, with the highest improvement in life satisfaction by 64 percent. In a separate study from the University of Vermont, researchers found that spending time in parks lifted moods equivalent to the same kind of feelings people felt of Christmas. Stop and Smell the Roses It’s not just immersing yourself in nature that gives you an emotional boost, just noticing small doses of it can have positive benefits too. In a two-week nature-based well-being intervention, researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada found that participants who took note of their feelings every time they encountered nature throughout the day, for example, a small flower, a sprawling tree or a beam of sunlight through a window, reported elevated levels of well-being over those who noticed “human-built objects.” In addition to feeling more connected to nature, respondents also reported feeling more connected with people and with life in general. That’s for the Birds It seems that nature not only makes us happier but could help stave off depression and anxiety too. A study from the University of Exeter, the British Trust for Ornithology and the University of Queensland in the United Kingdom suggests people who live in areas with a higher concentration of birds have a more positive state of mental well-being. It doesn’t matter what type of birds are observed, just listening to their songs or watching from a window can lower stress. These findings, researchers contend, suggest nature can be used as a form of preventative health care. Not So Blue Anymore Living near a body of water may contribute to your well-being by alleviating symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, according to a study in the journal Health & Place. It seems that living near blue spaces, including rivers, lakes and oceans, has been associated with more exercise, reduction of stress and an increase in relaxation. While the research is still new into blue spaces, living near water may be a cost-effective way to alleviate medical inequalities in lower-income areas. So, if you are looking for a holistic way to reduce your stress and anxiety and potentially increase your happiness, try taking in more nature.

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What Can I Do to Increase My Happiness?

Finland Remains the World’s Happiest Country

Finland Makes History With Third Consecutive Happiness Title

How Gratitude Heals Grief

Finding Happiness With Nature

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