How Positive Psychology Can Increase Your Happiness

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Hello, and thanks for this post! The Institute of Subjective Well-Being (http://www.iswb.org/) just released a free eBook titled "Happiness Formulas: How to assess our subjective well-being? How to live joyfully in the 21st century?".
The eBook also reviews AmAre Way (http://www.amareway.org/), a formula to measure happiness, and a way of living joyfully. AmAre is an acronym which stands for: Aware (being), Meditating, Active (being), Respectful (being), Eating properly. AmAre is an Italian word which means "to love", and in English it sounds like interconnectedness: (I) Am (we) Are.
"Happiness Formulas" eBook summarizes some of the main findings in recent research about subjective well-being, and raises points of its own, including:
- being happy is a choice we make right here and now, by living joyfully. It is not a place to reach in the future.
- there are ways to measure subjective well-being and thinking about what such formulas mean for us, is even more important than the numbers we get out of them.
- we get happier by making other people happier
- understanding happiness requires a paradigm shift: from a digital (right or wrong, true or false) way of thinking which belonged to analogical times, to an analogical (degrees of appropriateness) way of thinking which belongs to our digital times
- SWB has strong implications for public policy and diplomacy
- SWB agents, objects and actions can be classified as hot, mild and cool
- there are several "fringe" benefits to living joyfully, for example happier people are more sociable and energetic, more caring and cooperative, better liked by others, more likely to get married and stay married, to have wider social networks and receive support from friends, show more flexibility and creativity in their thinking, are more productive and work, are recognized as better leaders and negotiators, and so earn accordingly. They are more tenacious when times are not pleasant, have stronger immune systems, are healthier both physically and mentally, and live longer.
We look forward to hearing your way of living joyfully!

frank of CA 3:17PM July 14, 2010

We are so trained to focus on the elements that are not working in our lives: let's fix that problem, let's try to make something that is not working better. We focus on it and than put all our energy toward it. It has been proven to be so much more fun and effective to focus on improving the things that are already working. Building on our skills, expanding those elements in our realationships that are working really well. Let's find what is working and DO MORE OF IT!!
In my blog building your strengths I elaborate a little more on this key success factor in life! http://www.nielsjl.com/article/6-building-your-strengths
Have a fun!!
Niels
www.nielsjl.com

Santa Barbara Life Mastery Coach Niels of CA 2:44PM May 05, 2010

I just love the artical and the response from ruhap website.
I'm a college student and often find myself stressed out and stretched in so many different ways that I lose sight of whats truly important. I'm so greatful to God for all His blessings and for helping me in ways I could never have dreamed of.
Thank you for inspiring me to be positive and giving me simple ways to apply it in everyday life. Happiness is what you make it!!!

Ginny Kramerick of WV 10:15AM April 27, 2010

Wonderful, Wonderful! I love the article, thank you. And the 12 approaches.
At ruHap, we have something similar, ruHap's 14 Ways to be Happier Right Now:
1.Try
2.Act Happy
3.Appreciate the Moment
4.Simplify
5.Tiggers, not Eeyores
6.Set Goals
7.Help Others
8.Express Gratitude
9.↓ TV
10.Show Compassion
11.Focus
12.Listen Carefully
13.Hug
14.Stay Active
A bit more information is provided on each at http://ruhap.com/content/freeresources/14ways/
ruHap, The Happiness Company, is a free website that helps people be Happier by providing short, fun bursts of Happiness tips based on the scientific studies and best sellers.
A Daily Happiness Quote, a blog (How to be Happier), Free Happiness Resources, a Facebook application, a daily Happiness Index, a widget and much more help our users be Happier the way they want.
Thanks, and Be Happy,
Gregory S. Barsh, Esq.
Chief Happiness Officer
ruHap, The Happiness Company
www.ruhap.com

Gregory S. Barsh, Esq. of PA 9:31AM April 23, 2010

USING PSYCHOLOGY IS VERY IMPORTANT,BECAUSE IS the mayor frist thing to do. be positive.That means if you are not positive, You will not able to improve,in your life.Or in the future.Be positive is the mayor goalyou need to do.

elizabeth pacheco of OR 1:43PM November 23, 2009

Because, if you have seen unhappy parents all your life, you're more likely to follow their steps, same goes with happy parents or depressed or angry or aggressive parents.
If they tell you you are bad and not worthy, you will have to learn to respect and love yourself, otherwise you'll end up miserable till the end of your life.
It's like any other disease that can be transmittable through generations.
I agree that life experience counts a lot too, but even your life experience, no matter how bad it is, you can change it.
It's you who gets the control over your life, not the experiences and/or the circomstances in/of your life.
You create your own life experience!
Good luck to you!
Regards

Leposava Todorova 12:27PM August 14, 2009

Research drives Positive Psychology. Kudos to Sonja and all the other happiness, wellness, and curiosity truth-seeker pioneers.

Judy Krings of WI 8:39AM July 01, 2009

The point is each of us has a profound effect on our individual level of "happiness," or the more scientific term: subjective well-being. The range of effect which genetics has runs from about 20 - 50 % depending on the particular study. Those are averages across a large group of participants and, of course, there is no average person. The encouraging conclusion one can take from the research literature is that even if 50% is inherited and 10% is stuff that happens 40% depends on YOU.

John Burik of OH 11:53AM June 28, 2009

what a load of crap i will not by her book,a persons happiness is not based on their parents genentics.life experence is what counts for everone.you cannot count any basic steps why do people believe they can just follow one two three happy'''''. .

rodney f. jones of PA 8:35PM June 24, 2009