Is 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' a Lie? Here's What the Science Says...

Last week, I sat down with my (almost) 4-year-old daughter and watched the original animated version of The Lion King. Yes, it's still a tear-jerker!

After great personal tragedy and some deception, Simba shirks his responsibility; instead, he begins living the 'hakuna matata' lifestyle which, in cased you missed it, means "No worries for the rest of your days."

It's a catchy song, and an interesting life mantra...

However, worrying about things is important. It's what helps us to consider who we hang around, what food we eat, what exercise we do, what books we read, etc. — all through the lens of helping us remain healthy, functional, energetic, and strong contributors to our family and community.

It creates growth, which is essential to finding meaning and fulfillment in life.

In fact, I just released a podcast episode with brain health expert and 12x New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Daniel Amen, who believes we should lean into worry to help us live our best life.

Here is what Dr. Amen shared during our conversation:

"One of the lies of happiness is “don't worry, be happy.”

I always wanted to be my older brother, who’s a “don't worry, be happy” person. He leaves work at 3:00pm and he's on the golf course. He's 150 pounds overweight. It just makes me crazy for him. I've always had some angst, some anxiety.

There's a study out of Stanford where they looked at 1,540 10-year-old children in 1921, and then they followed them for the next 90 years, looking at what goes with success, health and longevity.

The only thing that those 10-year-olds showed that predicted success, health and longevity was conscientiousness. The “don't worry, be happy” kids died the earliest from accidents and preventable illnesses.

I think of anxiety on a scale of zero to a hundred, and I want to stay around 25-30."

While it might seem appealing to disengage from responsibilities, the reality is that what you don't deal with now will eventually deal with you, as it did for Simba.

As Dr. Amen mentioned, 'conscientiousness' is arguably the most important trait to have in your life. This is how it has been defined:

"Conscientiousness is the personality trait of being careful, or diligent. Conscientiousness implies a desire to do a task well, and to take obligations to others seriously. Conscientious people tend to be efficient and organized as opposed to easy-going and disorderly."

When we worry, we're able to anticipate and plan for potential problems, making us more conscientious. For example, studies have found that individuals who are overly optimistic and ignore warning signs of illness are less likely to seek medical attention and more likely to suffer from serious health conditions.

But, of course there's a difference between 'healthy worry' and 'excessive worry'. Healthy worry helps us plan and prepare for the future, but excessive worry can lead to negative impacts on mental health and overall well-being.

So, how do we strike a balance between healthy worry and excessive worry? It starts with being mindful of our thoughts and emotions, and acknowledging when worry is productive or unproductive.

Here is how Dr. Amen suggests we do that:

Ultimately, it's important to remember that it's okay to worry, and in fact, it can be beneficial to your overall health and well-being. The key is to find a healthy balance, and not let the 'hakuna matata' lifestyle lead you astray.

Get out there and #WinTheDay...

Onward and upward always,

James Whittaker

PS - In case you missed it, check out the full episode Master Your Mind with Dr. Daniel Amen.