I recently wrote an article for an Employee Resource Group that I am part of.  The topic I was given was the “Science behind happiness”.  Although I was given this topic to write about, I became fascinated by the research behind happiness.  Everything I read and presented in this article aligns with my thoughts so I figured I’d share my piece here too!

Did you know there is scientific research behind being happy?  Believe it or not, happiness is not just reserved for the few lucky ones amongst us.  Rather, every one of us can control our own happiness.  Sonja Lyubomirsky renowned social psychologist and Ph.D. from Stanford has found that although 50% of our happiness is rooted in our genetics, the remaining combination is 10% our circumstances and 40% of our intentional activities.

So what exactly does that mean?  Even though the science states that 50% of our happiness is due to our genetics, it’s actually an indirect relation, meaning there is always room for improvement – we can influence our genetic happiness by our experience and behaviour.  More importantly, the other 50% of our happiness is essentially controlled by being aware of our circumstance and intentional about our thoughts, outlook and actions.   Everyone has a choice and we can easily choose to be happy.

Why is this important?  Being happy increases self-regulatory and coping abilities.  Some scientists say that it can strengthen your immune system, make you more energetic and even allow you to enjoy a longer life.  Plus, being happy is contagious!  If you are happy and around happy people – the happiness keeps growing!

How can one practice cultivating happiness?  Many of us may look to our careers, partners, family/children or other external forces to influence our happiness.  What we need to remember is that happiness isn’t something we find, it’s something we create and practice daily.  The research shows that activities we initiate from ourselves such as maintaining our fitness levels, counting one’s blessings and pursing personal goals are the key to happiness.   Here are some other ways to cultivate happiness in your life:

– Practice acts of kindness (volunteering or charity work)

– Practice daily gratitude

– Avoid social comparisons

– Pursue a hobby

– Nurture relationships

– Focus on spirituality or a religious practices that speak to you

– Avoid over consumption on Social Media

– Taking care of your body and mind (being physically active, practicing self-care, meditating)