Little tricks, guides and tips to achieve a universal goal in every human being: happiness and well-being.
As recognized by the United Nations, happiness and well-being are universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings. The way to achieve these goals has been the task of philosophy, although today it is scientific evidence, the result of neuroscience and psychology.
We know, for example, that only 10% of happiness depends on external circumstances. If we were to win the lottery, we would feel enormous pleasure at first, although we would soon return to our previous level of satisfaction, since once the great novelties of life have been assimilated, people tend to return to their usual mood.
Another 50% of our happiness is related to genetic factors, a tendency to worry or not to worry, to be optimistic or pessimistic, or to be rigid or flexible.
The good news is that 40% of our happiness depends on ourselves: what we do, how we interpret what happens to us, what personal skills we practice, our social relationships, routines or activities…
The basic ingredients to achieve this personal happiness consist of maintaining a network of social relationships, finding meaning in life, having goals that correspond to our values and enjoying what we do. For the latter, everyone has to look for what he or she likes to do, that task that makes the hours flow without realizing it. On the other hand, from time to time we must also venture to try new things and get out of our comfort zone.
We need to be aware of our inner dialogue: some people tend to have negative thoughts or a pessimistic interpretation of what is happening to them. For example, two people stuck in a traffic jam may interpret the situation very differently; one of them may feel trapped and become distressed or think that these things always happen to them, while the other may say to himself that, as it is going to take a long time, he will take the opportunity to put on some music. We are responsible for what we think and, being aware of this, we can change these thoughts.
Experts also advise us to enjoy the small details of the moment through all our senses, always focusing on each moment with full attention. In addition, happy people tend to be open and less prejudiced towards others.
Happiness does not mean the absence of negative feelings, but it has a direct impact on our lives: it makes us live longer, enjoy better health, be more creative and be more successful. And we also know that our life satisfaction has an impact on our family and friends. As the Louis Armstrong song said, “When you smile, the whole world smiles at you.”