What Percentage Of Our Happiness Depends On Our Will?
According to the research of Sonja Lyubumoirsky, author of the book The science of happinesthe circumstances of our lives, such as the place we were born or the job we have, determine our happiness only 10%.
The other 50% depends on our genetic inheritance and the remaining 40% depends on what we think and the way we act deliberately That is the decisive factor and where our range of action lies.
It is undeniable that the percentage that genetics takes is really important. When we talk about genetic inheritance we talk about the chemistry of our brain. A complex system of nerves, neurons, synapses and various biochemical substances such as serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin are what generate the sensations of pleasure and happiness that we experience in the brain.
These chemical reactions were evolutionarily shaped to promote the survival and reproduction of the species. Hence the pleasurable sensation that sex generates or the acceleration of our breathing when we feel fear: our body is preparing to escape.
But each person’s individual chemistry is largely determined by the inheritance we receive from our biological parents Hence, having parents who have gone through the same illness is considered a risk factor for depression.
External circumstances (10%)
Being rich or poor, healthy or unhealthy, married or divorced, beautiful or simple, driving a new or old car, only represents ten percent. This explains why some slum children can be as happy or happier than first world millionaires. The “things” and other circumstances simply They don’t have much impact on happiness
By a very powerful force that psychologists call “hedonistic adaptation”
At first, we react strongly to changes in circumstances, but over time, their emotional impacts lose strength. We take good things for granted. In other words, we adapt. You have no doubt experienced this in your own life. The initial excitement of a new house, car, or raise is wonderful, but the enjoyment rarely lasts more than a few weeks.
Intentional activity (40%)
This percentage refers to our behavior: what we do and how we think The happiest people, in this sense, are those who engage in generating behaviors that increase their happiness, such as spending time with their family, practicing optimism, exercising regularly, savoring the pleasures of life, living in the present moment or expressing gratitude for what they have.
This puts us in an advantageous position. That 40% is still quite influential Hence, the key to happiness is not in changing your genes (which is impossible) or in changing your circumstances (which is difficult and impractical), but in changing what you do and how you think.
Happiness requires effort
Many of us find it difficult to apply the notion of effort to our emotional or mental lives.
Consider how much time and commitment many people dedicate to physical exercise, whether it’s going to the gym, jogging, kickboxing or yoga. Research reveals that if we want greater happiness, you must do it in a similar way. In other words, Being happier in a lasting way requires making some permanent changes in our way of thinking and acting (read: not our circumstances) that require effort and commitment every day of your life.
The 12 activities for happiness backed by science, which are extracted from the book “The Science of Happiness” by expert Sonja Lyubomirsky, name the following:
Related article:
The practice that brings together all activities for happiness: Mindfulness
A series of studies conducted at the University of Rochester focused on people who practiced mindfulness regularly. It turns out that such individuals are models of flourishing mental health
Relative to the average person, they are more likely to be happy, optimistic, self-confident and satisfied with their lives, and less likely to be depressed, angry, anxious, hostile, self-conscious, impulsive or neurotic.
How to practice it?
Informal practice does not require taking any time out of your day ; you simply do what you are currently doing consciously. We call this conscious eating, conscious cooking, conscious showering or conscious commuting. Whatever you do, you give it your full attention and don’t think about anything other than what you are doing, which anchors you to the present.
When you get lost in thought, you refocus your attention on the task at hand. Easier said than done, but that’s the gist.
The formal practice is meditation an activity in which we seek to focus attention on the present moment through different techniques such as breathing, progressive body scanning, mantras, etc.
If you’re new to this, you’ll want to start with formal practice to get a feel for what mindfulness entails and what it feels like. If you are going to take the step, download Purely App and you will find countless exercises and meditation guides for beginners completely free.
