The Secrets of Happiness

I love to do random searching of the Internet regularly.

When you surf the Net without a particular site in mind, often you will end up with something interesting.

Forest Gump's modified quote "Net Surfing is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you gonna get."

I chanced upon this interesting article on "Psychology Today" called "The Secrets of Happiness", by David G. MyersPage. Its a very good read, and consistent with how I work (for those who know me personally).

And I think that all you busy people out there should just spend a few minutes to read this worthy article, and reflect on your mindset.

I have copied some of the key points from the article.


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Excerpts from The Secrets of Happiness

By: David G. MyersPage

Forget about money. Don't fret about youth. Acting happy is likely to make you happy.

Well-being is strongly influenced by enduring characteristics of the individual.
Regardless of whether their marital status, job, or residence had changed, people with a happy disposition in 1973 were still happy in 1983. There's good news in these findings: Given the right disposition, in the face of difficulty, people can still find renewed happiness.

There are four important traits of happy people:

I: Self-esteem: Happy People Like Themselves

The best predictor of general life satisfaction was not satisfaction with family life, friendships, or income, but satisfaction with self. People who like and accept themselves feel good about life in general.

A healthy self-esteem, then, is both positive and REALISTIC. Because it is based on the genuine achievement of realistic ideals, and on feeling accepted for what one is, such self-esteem provides a strong foundation for enduring joy.

II: Optimism: Happy People Are Hope-Filled

Those who agree that "with enough faith, you can do almost anything" and that "when I undertake something new, I expect to succeed" may be a bit bubble-headed. But, for seeing the glass of life as half-full rather than half-empty, they are usually happier.

Optimists are also healthier. Several studies reveal that a pessimistic style of explaining bad events--saying, "It's my fault, it's going to last, and it's going to undermine everything"--makes us more vulnerable to illness. In general, optimistic people are less bothered by various illnesses and recover better from cancer and surgery.

Optimists also enjoy greater success. Rather than see setbacks as signs of their incompetence, they view them as flukes or as suggesting the need for a new approach. A person who confronts life with an attitude that often says "Yes!" to people and possibilities lives with far more joy and venturesomeness than do habitual naysayers.

The recipe for well-being, then, requires neither positive nor negative thinking alone, but a mix of ample optimism to provide hope, a dash of pessimism to prevent complacency, and enough realism to discriminate those things we can control from those we cannot.

III: Extroversion: Happy People Are Outgoing

Extroverts are simply more cheerful and high-spirited. Self-assured people who walk into a room full of strangers and warmly introduce themselves may also be more accepting of themselves. Liking themselves, they are confident that others will like them, too.

Compared to introverts, extroverts were more likely to have gotten married, found good jobs, and made new, close friends.

IV: Personal Control: Happy People Believe They Choose Their Destinies

15 percent of Americans who feel in control of their lives and feel satisfied with themselves have "extraordinarily positive feelings of happiness."

Happy, too, are those who gain the sense of control that comes with effective management of one's time.
Sleeping late, hanging out, and watching TV leave an empty feeling.
For happy people, time is filled and planned; they are punctual and efficient.
For unhappy people, time is unfilled, open, and uncommitted; they postpone things and are inefficient."

Establishing pre-set deadlines for oneself--and then meeting them--can lead to the delicious, confident feeling of personal control.

Finally: How To Be Happy

(I will leave this portion blank so you can go read on your own.)

Full article is here.

About the Author: Shingo T spent 6 months reading up major books on the secrets and mindset of happy people, while waiting for University to start.