Why learn to be happy?

Considering everything that is going on in your life, how would you rate your happiness these days - would you say that you are very happy, little happy or not too happy?

While facing similar situations, circumstances or events - different people report different happiness levels. According to research by Psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky around 50% of our Happiness level depends on our genes, 10% on our circumstances & 40% on our internal state of mind. Which means we have an opportunity to raise our happiness levels by full 40% if we learn to adopt right approach, practice right mindset, learn better happiness strategies and develop positive habits. Now the question arises, why shouldn’t we just let ourselves be, the way we are? Why put in so much efforts just to raise our happiness levels? After all we are already accustomed to feeling, the way we do.

First and most visible benefit of higher level of happiness is the smile and pleasant expression it brings to our face. Such people appear much more friendly and attractive to everyone around them. Their positive energy is so infectious that others also start feeling good just by being in their company.

Secondly, whenever we experience positive emotions, our brain releases certain neurotransmitters, also known as “Happiness Hormones”. They help in lowering the level of stress hormone cortisol resulting in reduction of our experience of stress. Cortisol, if stays in our blood for more than 30 minutes starts causing damage like having a negative impact on our immune system, cause us to age rapidly, thins our skin and weakens our bones. Increasing our happiness means less stress and less stress means better health.

Happiness helps you to build a better immune system, which means your will fall sick less often and even if you do, you will recover much faster and have fewer symptoms than if you are unhappy.

Happiness also helps in decreasing the risk of suffering from severe health conditions. One longitudinal study has shown that happier people are at lower risk of developing restricted flow in their arteries thus lowering the risk of having a heart attack.

We know that recognition of our work has a great impact on our happiness. When the recognition is of global caliber, such as Oscars, the impact can be tremendous. One survey of 750 actors nominated for an Oscar showed that the nominees who actually won went on to live, on average, four years longer than those who lost. Happiness is so magical that it can even increase your lifespan.

Therefore, Happiness, is not something that just helps us to feel good in a moment. It has immense benefits for our health & life, thus justifying every effort we make to increase its presence in our lives.

Wishing you more Happiness, everyday.

Puneet Dhingra,

Happiness Life Coach.

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