Yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf, rydym wedi gweld ffrwydrad o ymchwil wyddonol yn datgelu'n union sut mae teimladau cadarnhaol fel hapusrwydd yn dda i ni. Gwyddom eu bod yn ein cymell i ddilyn nodau pwysig a goresgyn rhwystrau, ein hamddiffyn rhag rhai effeithiau straen, ein cysylltu'n agos â phobl eraill, a hyd yn oed atal anhwylderau corfforol a meddyliol.
Mae hyn wedi gwneud hapusrwydd yn eithaf ffasiynol. Gwnaeth gwyddoniaeth hapusrwydd gloriau Time , Oprah , a hyd yn oed The Economist , ac mae wedi silio diwydiant bach o siaradwyr ysgogol, seicotherapyddion, a mentrau ymchwil. Mae'r wefan hon, Greater Good , yn cynnwys tua 400 o erthyglau am hapusrwydd , ac mae ei blog magu plant yn ymwneud yn benodol â magu plant hapus .
Yn amlwg, mae hapusrwydd yn boblogaidd. Ond a yw hapusrwydd bob amser yn dda? A all teimlo'n rhy dda byth fod yn ddrwg? Mae ymchwilwyr newydd ddechrau archwilio'r cwestiynau hyn o ddifrif, gyda rheswm da: Trwy gydnabod peryglon hapusrwydd posibl, rydym yn galluogi ein hunain i'w ddeall yn ddyfnach ac rydym yn dysgu hyrwyddo bywydau iachach a mwy cytbwys yn well.
Ynghyd â'm cydweithwyr Iris Mauss a Maya Tamir, rwyf wedi adolygu'r ymchwil wyddonol sy'n dod i'r amlwg ar ochr dywyll hapusrwydd, ac rydym wedi cynnal ein hymchwil ein hunain ar y pwnc. Mae'r astudiaethau hyn wedi datgelu pedair ffordd y gallai hapusrwydd fod yn ddrwg i ni.
1. Gall gormod o hapusrwydd eich gwneud chi'n llai creadigol - ac yn llai diogel.
Mae hapusrwydd, mae'n troi allan, yn gostus o'i brofi'n rhy ddwys.
Er enghraifft, dywedir wrthym yn aml y gall hapusrwydd agor ein meddyliau i feithrin mwy o feddwl creadigol a'n helpu i fynd i'r afael â phroblemau neu bosau. Mae hyn yn wir pan fyddwn yn profi lefelau cymedrol o hapusrwydd. Ond yn ôl meta-ddadansoddiad Mark Alan Davis yn 2008 o’r berthynas rhwng hwyliau a chreadigrwydd, pan fydd pobl yn profi symiau dwys ac efallai llethol o hapusrwydd, nid ydynt bellach yn profi’r un hwb creadigrwydd. Ac mewn achosion eithafol fel mania, mae pobl yn colli'r gallu i fanteisio ar eu hadnoddau creadigol mewnol a'u sianelu. Yn fwy na hynny, mae'r seicolegydd Barbara Fredrickson wedi canfod bod gormod o emosiwn cadarnhaol - a rhy ychydig o emosiwn negyddol - yn gwneud pobl yn anhyblyg yn wyneb heriau newydd.
Nid yn unig y mae hapusrwydd gormodol weithiau'n dileu ei fanteision i ni - gall arwain at niwed seicolegol mewn gwirionedd. Pam? Efallai mai pwrpas a swyddogaeth hapusrwydd yw'r ateb. Pan fyddwn yn profi hapusrwydd, mae ein sylw yn troi at bethau cyffrous a chadarnhaol yn ein bywydau i helpu i gynnal y teimlad da. Wrth deimlo'n hapus, rydym hefyd yn tueddu i deimlo'n llai swil ac yn fwy tebygol o archwilio posibiliadau newydd a mentro.
Cymerwch y swyddogaeth hon o hapusrwydd i'r eithaf. Dychmygwch rywun sydd ag awydd aruthrol i roi sylw i'r pethau cadarnhaol o'u cwmpas yn unig a chymryd risgiau enfawr. Efallai y byddant yn tueddu i anwybyddu neu esgeuluso arwyddion rhybudd yn eu hamgylchedd, neu gymryd camau mentrus a mentrus hyd yn oed pan fo arwyddion allanol yn awgrymu bod enillion yn annhebygol.
Mae pobl yn y modd uwch hwn o 'hapusrwydd goryrru' yn ymddwyn yn fwy peryglus ac yn tueddu i ddiystyru bygythiadau, gan gynnwys yfed gormod o alcohol, gorfwyta mewn pyliau, anlladrwydd rhywiol, a defnyddio cyffuriau. Mewn astudiaeth ym 1993, canfu’r seicolegydd Howard S. Friedman a’i gydweithwyr fod gan blant oed ysgol a gafodd eu graddio’n “hynod siriol” gan rieni ac athrawon fwy o risg o farwolaethau o’u dilyn i fod yn oedolion, efallai oherwydd eu bod yn cymryd rhan mewn mwy o ymddygiadau cymryd risg.
Mae'r holl ganlyniadau hyn yn tynnu sylw at un casgliad: Gall hapusrwydd fod ar ei orau o'i brofi'n gymedrol - dim rhy ychydig, ond dim gormod hefyd.
2. Nid yw hapusrwydd yn gweddu i bob sefyllfa.
Mae ein hemosiynau yn ein helpu i addasu i amgylchiadau, heriau a chyfleoedd newydd. Mae dicter yn ein cynnull i oresgyn rhwystrau; mae ofn yn ein rhybuddio am fygythiadau ac yn ymgysylltu â'n system paratoi ymladd-neu-hedfan; tristwch yn arwydd o golled. Mae'r emosiynau hyn yn ein galluogi i ddiwallu anghenion penodol mewn cyd-destunau penodol.
Mae'r un peth yn wir am hapusrwydd - mae'n ein helpu i ddilyn a chyrraedd nodau pwysig, ac yn ein hannog i gydweithredu ag eraill. Ond yn union fel na fyddem am deimlo'n ddig neu'n drist ym mhob cyd-destun, ni ddylem fod eisiau profi hapusrwydd ym mhob cyd-destun.
Fel y mae'r seicolegydd Charles Carver wedi dadlau, mae emosiynau cadarnhaol fel hapusrwydd yn arwydd i ni fod ein nodau'n cael eu cyflawni, sy'n ein galluogi i arafu, camu'n ôl, a thramwyo'n feddyliol. Dyna pam y gall hapusrwydd ein brifo mewn cystadleuaeth. Canfu astudiaethau dadlennol a wnaed gan Maya Tamir fod pobl mewn hwyliau hapus yn perfformio'n waeth na phobl mewn hwyliau blin wrth chwarae gêm gyfrifiadurol gystadleuol.
Yn fy labordy fy hun, rydym wedi canfod bod unigolion sy'n profi hapusrwydd mewn cyd-destunau amhriodol—fel gwylio ffilm o blentyn ifanc yn crio neu'r olygfa honno gan Trainspotting pan fydd Ewan McGregor yn cloddio trwy doiled ffiaidd wedi'i orchuddio â feces—mewn mwy o berygl o ddatblygu anhwylder emosiynol mania.
Josh Gosfield/Corbis Mae gan hapusrwydd amser a lle - nid yw'n addas ar gyfer pob sefyllfa!
3. Nid yw pob math o hapusrwydd yn dda i chi.
Mae “hapusrwydd” yn derm unigol, ond mae'n cyfeirio at enfys o wahanol flasau o emosiwn: Mae rhai yn ein gwneud ni'n fwy egnïol, mae rhai yn ein harafu; mae rhai yn gwneud i ni deimlo'n agosach at bobl eraill, mae rhai yn ein gwneud ni'n fwy hael.
Ond a yw pob math o hapusrwydd yn hyrwyddo'r manteision hyn? Mae'n ymddangos nad yw. Mewn gwirionedd, mae dadansoddiad mwy cynnil o wahanol fathau o hapusrwydd yn awgrymu y gall rhai ffurfiau fod yn ffynhonnell camweithrediad.
Un enghraifft yw balchder, teimlad dymunol sy'n gysylltiedig â chyflawniad a statws neu statws cymdeithasol uchel. O’r herwydd, mae’n aml yn cael ei ystyried yn fath o emosiwn cadarnhaol sy’n gwneud inni ganolbwyntio mwy arnom ein hunain. Gall balchder fod yn dda mewn rhai cyd-destunau a ffurfiau, fel ennill gwobr anodd neu dderbyn dyrchafiad swydd.
Fodd bynnag, mae fy ymchwil gyda Sheri Johnson a Dacher Keltner yn canfod, pan fyddwn yn profi gormod o falchder neu falchder heb rinweddau gwirioneddol, y gall arwain at ganlyniadau cymdeithasol negyddol, megis ymosodol tuag at eraill, ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol, a hyd yn oed risg uwch o anhwylderau hwyliau fel mania. Mae gwaith sydd ar y gweill yn fy labordy, dan arweiniad y myfyriwr graddedig Hillary Devlin, yn cefnogi’r syniad pryfoclyd y gall emosiynau cadarnhaol hunan-ffocws fel balchder mewn gwirionedd rwystro ein gallu i gydymdeimlo, neu gymryd safbwynt rhywun arall yn ystod cyfnod emosiynol anodd.
Y llinell waelod: Gall rhai mathau o hapusrwydd ar adegau rwystro ein gallu i gysylltu â'r rhai o'n cwmpas.
4. Gall mynd ar drywydd hapusrwydd eich gwneud yn anhapus.
Nid yw'n syndod bod y rhan fwyaf o bobl eisiau bod yn hapus. Mae'n ymddangos ein bod ni'n galed i fynd ar drywydd hapusrwydd, ac mae hyn yn arbennig o wir am Americanwyr - mae hyd yn oed wedi'i wreiddio yn ein Datganiad Annibyniaeth.
Ac eto a yw dilyn hapusrwydd yn iach? Yn ddiweddar, mae gwaith arloesol gan Iris Mauss wedi cefnogi’r syniad gwrth-reddfol y gallai ymdrechu am hapusrwydd achosi mwy o ddrwg nag o les mewn gwirionedd. Mewn gwirionedd, ar adegau, po fwyaf o bobl sy'n dilyn hapusrwydd y lleiaf y maent yn ymddangos yn gallu ei gael. Mae Mauss yn dangos po fwyaf y bydd pobl yn ymdrechu am hapusrwydd, y mwyaf tebygol y byddant o osod safon uchel ar gyfer hapusrwydd—yna yn cael eu siomi pan na chyrhaeddir y safon honno. Mae hyn yn arbennig o wir pan oedd pobl mewn cyd-destunau cadarnhaol, fel gwrando ar gân gadarnhaol neu wylio clip ffilm cadarnhaol. Mae fel pe bai'r anoddaf yn ceisio profi hapusrwydd, y mwyaf anodd yw hi i deimlo'n hapus mewn gwirionedd, hyd yn oed mewn sefyllfaoedd dymunol fel arall.
Mae fy nghydweithwyr a minnau’n adeiladu ar yr ymchwil hon, sy’n awgrymu bod mynd ar drywydd hapusrwydd hefyd yn gysylltiedig â phroblemau iechyd meddwl difrifol, megis iselder ac anhwylder deubegwn. Efallai bod ymdrechu am hapusrwydd mewn gwirionedd yn gyrru rhai ohonom yn wallgof.
Sut i ddod o hyd i hapusrwydd iach?
Ond sut yn union allwn ni gael dos iach o hapusrwydd? Dyma'r cwestiwn miliwn o ddoleri.
Yn gyntaf, mae'n bwysig profi hapusrwydd yn y swm cywir. Mae rhy ychydig o hapusrwydd yr un mor broblematig â gormod. Yn ail, mae gan hapusrwydd amser a lle, a rhaid bod yn ymwybodol o'r cyd-destun neu'r sefyllfa lle mae rhywun yn profi hapusrwydd. Yn drydydd, mae'n bwysig cael cydbwysedd emosiynol. Ni all rhywun brofi hapusrwydd ar gost neu draul emosiynau negyddol, megis tristwch neu ddicter neu euogrwydd. Mae'r rhain i gyd yn rhan o rysáit gymhleth ar gyfer iechyd emosiynol ac yn ein helpu i gael persbectif mwy sylfaen. Mae cydbwysedd emosiynol yn hollbwysig.
Yn olaf, mae'n bwysig dilyn a phrofi hapusrwydd am y rhesymau cywir. Gall canolbwyntio gormod ar ymdrechu am hapusrwydd fel diben ynddo'i hun fod yn hunan-drechu mewn gwirionedd. Yn hytrach na cheisio dod o hyd i hapusrwydd yn selog, dylem weithio i adeiladu derbyniad o'n cyflwr emosiynol presennol, beth bynnag y bo. Mae gwir hapusrwydd, mae'n ymddangos, yn dod o feithrin caredigrwydd tuag at eraill - ac atoch chi'ch hun.
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This is an interesting and controversial article. I love stuff like this. First of all I do believe that too much happiness can be unhealthy, in a sence that too much water is unhealthy. you can die from too much water but it has to be gallons at one time. I think that just like a relationship if you don't argue every once in a while then how are you going to know you truly love the person and care for them. As human beings we need different emotions, happy, sad, frustrated, infuriating; Without these emotions we can not love because we dont know what is good and what is bad. With the persuite of happeness i think the article pined the nail on the donkey with that one, as for everything else, i think they did not word it properly.
As I read comments that criticize the article, I generally agree: problems with definition of happiness, over-emphasis on mania, surprising and I think challengable link to excessive risk choices because "happiness" might block mindful self-care.
At least one comment mentions a general feeling of "contentment" as a description of what might be meant by "happiness", and this resonates with me. Others might add "feeling in harmony with oneself and relationship to larger world". Still others might add "feeling a general personal confidence about oneself in relationship to larger world."
One negative aspect of "happiness" I was surprised to *not* find is mentioned, but not developed. This is a link between an individual "happiness" and reduced ability to empathize. The possibility of such a link is worthy of thought.
The culture has been through a few decades of individuals pursuing personal development, with emphasis on "individual" and "personal" . In general, to my observation, this has been an excellent development. People have come to better understand themselves, have identified 'blocks', have repaired and healed with much good outcome.
As part of this self-discovery, self-help, movement, concepts of "happiness" and "positive thinking" have been emphasized and linked. "Happiness requires the practice of positive thinking." Both happiness and positive thinking have, to my observation, been treated without clear definition. Definitions are *assumed*, but unexamined. I'm going to focus on positive thinking as it may relate to reduced empathy.
To my observation - a *segment* of self-development enthusiasts practice "cultish devotion" to positive thinking. "Cult-type" emphasis includes advice such as "avoid exposure to negative thinkers or negative ideas" .
Those attached to what I characterize as cultish devotion, commonly believe that *any* life difficulty that has no immediate practical solution can be overcome by re-framing. Talk of possible causes of suffering that might be related to society's paradigms, institutions and policies lacks "bliss appeal".
Anyone offering socioeconomic political analysis may be "judged" as a negative thinker offering negative ideas. Descriptions of historical and current dynamics of power, wealth, racism, etc. are seen as unpleasant and toxic to personal well-being.
In relationship at a more personal level, cultish positive thinkers may claim they cannot "connect to" what they hear when an individual describes suffering and need. They may genuinely want to be helpful - but they can't imagine addressing human misery beyond a "make lemonade from lemons" solution.
My description of cultish devotion to positive thinking in pursuit of personal well-being (therefore a state of happiness), is incomplete. I've tried to briefly introduce "issues". The cultishness has been examined by social analysts - Barbara Ehrenreich's "Bright Sided - How Positive Thinking is Undermining America" grew from her experiences coping with cancer. She connects the dots - cancer is the experience from which she examines a wider trend. As an analyst and critic, of course, Ehrenreich can be dismissed as a "negative" thinker! http://www.barbaraehrenreic...
It seems I've "used" this article to sound off on an aside theme that I find important. The title of the article, after all, is "Four Ways Happiness Can Hurt You", not "How Pursuit of Happiness Can Reduce Empathic Capacity Within a Society". Hampered empathy is only briefly mentioned, but it caught my attention, and my study of human behavior has led me to believe lack of empathy from "happy" folk may be linked to cultish practice of "positive thinking".
I've been involved in "people watching and social criticism" for much of my life. My criticism springs from a powerful optimism about human potential! In fact, I believe conditions as we enter the 21stC "demand" that we apply valid ideas on personal happiness to community wellness, that we expand changes on behalf of personal well-being to include changes in dysfunctional institutions and policy. We learn of institutional and policy dysfunction through empathy (belief of another's struggle) and critical, analytical, examination of issues and power dynamics. Research and intuitive common sense both confirm that "felt" individual well-being depends on community context. Small personal communities always exist within larger socioeconomic political communities - of more complex dynamics. More on this can be found in the work of Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, found at http://www.equalitytrust.or....
[Hide Full Comment]mr Stanford of today's daily was annoyed. ms Tippett, doesn't know even smallest provocation that made Standford behave such uncontrolled behavior. you know, I didn't do anything bad. So why frightening again. The saddest thing is that Ms can't guess why you write that but she can understand you are annoyed. Review the causes please instead using force or strangling an innocent miss. She doesn't know car accidents or anything bad happened to you but she understands that you felt pain which she didn't cause. if it is that small statements "woman spoke up"which she apologized, accept apologies. If you would like Ms completely truss in you, you have to talk where you believe she doesn't. It is simple and if you continue spinal things, you are forcing a Ms to become Mr. Ms really feels that you have some type of pain but she didn't cause-trust her.
@Jeanine, am listening please. thank you
Pursuing happiness is not "BEing happy".
You are doing a disservice to people by this article.
Emotions are a sense, like taste, touch, smell, hearing and seeing.
Emotions come in response to thoughts.
They also provide guidance from your "Higher Self".
Your Higher Self sends you a message that says "that is the right direction" when you think a thought that feels better than the last thought you thought.
When your new thought feels worse the message is "You're going the wrong way now. Turn around."
It is as simple as this and not listening to the guidance is never the right choice.
@travelmmn:disqus pursuing happiness doesn't cause the two. I posit there can be relations like my case where happiness is pursued in dread. What do you think, they need to pursue? Some are said need marriage, some doctors, some divine. What do you think, Travelmmn?
The assertion that research suggests that pursuit of happiness is associated with serious mental health problems, such as depression and bipolar disorder implies that pursuing happiness causes these disorders, but I would hope researchers would look into causality. I would posit that people with depression or bipolar disorder are more likely to pursue happiness, as they feel this is what they lack, which would lead to this association, not the other way around.
@3f80abfeff1e02b26cdef8954007e98c:disqus it was not wasted time. It was to knowledge and others might benefited it.
Thank you
As I was reading this, all I could think about was how wasteful is to spend so much time THINKING about why happiness is not good instead of just going out and living your life and stumbling onto little happy moments betwixt and between the others. And then remembering to appreciate them instead of stopping to ask yourself if this is a happy moment or is this a moment that's not really good for me. I think too much thinking about it sorta ruins the whole experience.
today's dailygood got me right. I remember operating a store of scientific research age 17. Mine wasn't nuclear but animals esp insects. My big problem was how I could keep people away from the store of the study. I was exactly like Taylor because the word "can't" I don't believe. Hazmat team and arrest isn't known and never liked. It is always good to make understandable because one might cleaned family's contaminated for may be another family.what is the other please?catastrophic result? that is scaring and is not known. well, Taylor is with you and feels sorry for your time. Well, Washington can't say 'get this very small to die or to live with it for being honesty and stupid awesome."
The story interested me I had forehead and eyes pain I thought Computer caused but didn't feel while I was reading today's daily.
Thank you
@Kayee, well, I give my definition to the website of last night. Didn't it publish? I wrote a lot of explanations. And happy people connect people around them. but if happy people are busy on things they don't. it is a meaningful question. @be276523f26ecbd80bf429fabaafa852:disqus , I followed the link but mbs ended anyway it was interesting how the guy talked. I will update unlimited internet. West striving materials, they are right because I one time tried a woman near her car. she was standing and I was practicing accent I just copied from a movie. So I wanted to greet her yet she saw me before. She just looked very innocent and changed the direction. I was really embarrassed because my intention wasn't to cause inconvenience. I then thought of how such issue could be addressed. I started a work. The work then threatened my well-being and sucked my savings. I then asked myself, do I deserve? I then continued not knowing realities because money lost in good is good. This story is not meant to provoke anyone because the story of the woman happened 2010 there was also another woman in swimming pool and another woman who worked in embassy they all seemed to not feel comfortable.
[Hide Full Comment]Thougha man who I met in consul was not displeased. He even joked. So the NGO work started this way- it is real.
My belief is that joy is all of it ...the very fact that we can experience all the emotions and can be at choice as to how we respond is joyful empowerment. I like the whole notion of leading a happy, engaged and meaningful life...irrespective of current circumstances. My radio program presents a holistic and integrated approach to wellbing, tapping into the sugnature strengths, multiple intelligences and using the art of improv ( acting) to be in the moment. www.planetaudio.org.nz/radi...
The article completely misses the point about happiness. Happiness is never achieved by pursuing it. Achieving goals and material wealth gives a temporary feeling of well being but true happiness comes from within. The West seems obsessed with material gains and success believing when they have been achieved one will be happy but when one reaches the goal we change The goal Suggest listen to TED talk by Shawn Achor VERY FUNNY AND INFORMATIVE Check out this amazing TED Talk:
Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work
http://www.ted.com/talks/sh...
I have never met a person who is constantly in a happiness mode. Most people that I had ever, met seem to have a range of emotions. This sounds like an article one had to write to get their name on something just to say they have something in print. What is the writer's definition of happiness? I would think contentment would be a very nice goal in life and would create a balanced life as well. This could also be described as happiness. Can a happy person really be hindered to connect with those around them, Really?
@facebook-100002669703787:disqus we always do many things but we have to balance them. No one can be 100% good. but what I know is that the more we try to be good the more we are.
I posted a comment to http://smartliving365.com/?...
about happiness am not sure if it waits published.
This article caught my eye because it follows the kind of "too much good is bad" scare tactic of a lot of healthy living articles.
I really relate with the part about the pursuit of happiness. I've always been the ambitious type, people-pleaser, cheerful host. Almost my whole life, I've poured my energy into APPEARING happy to make other people around me feel good, to make other people around me feel like I had everything under control and the world on my side.
Especially once I began Health Coaching as a career, I wanted people to see that I'd figured it all out and was living the dream life. Behind closed doors, though, I was super stressed, I was binge eating sweets at night, I was feeling like a failure and a fraud, and was deeply UNhappy.
It took a lot of work and opening to see how I needed to take time and energy to nourish myself, relax and feed my own soul. I was giving and working way too much - trying to be a happy success - and starving myself of the stuff a happy life is made out of in the process. I didn't need all the sugar I was craving - I needed more sweetness in my life! Ahhhh...
[Hide Full Comment]what else can i say. it is all a bulk of good writig and composite combination of intellectual make-up. just really likes it.
I believe it is better to BE happy than to PURSUIT happiness. Being happy means for me, being content with my life, appreciating what is around me and experience life every second as a great gift and chance. This also includes changing things that make me angry. Enjoy your lifes, everyone! It is the only one we've got.
I agree that the blind pursuit of happiness can be problematic--that's because we often have opposing definitions of what it really means. That's why I wrote a blog post that defines happiness in a way that makes it more sense of well-being than just a giddy emotion...if interested, here is a link to the article.... http://smartliving365.com/?...
great science. I was one of the people who were know excited all the times. I was and I like to be happy always. Well, I agree to be more happy can make one loose creativity and loose the idea of making development. As I said I overdrive happiness but if am to employ a worker I would prefer one who doesn't overdrive happiness. I understood mine 2005 I then decided to remain middle at schools and workplaces and when free or a lone I like to look what interests me or pleases me. I had 5 face books where I followed events different names. Most of my friends I meet personally and some of them I follow facebook and they don't know am following them. Because they comment and expect me to socialize with them and I can't. So I understood I might open facebook once in a month , they would think am not respecting them.
I try what I want to do and if I fail I feel like I need to be nowhere. That is why I decided to live earth as a famous person or a rich. Without the two I I can't say life is worth. If someone I had been saying good many years broke me one minute I finalized that people harm.
The person I blogged first than any other thing. I was helpless more than anyone else my tears told me. I also seen sadness and I can tell when people are sad esp anger caused is very bad. So happiness is best only few people can take my pleasure but no one can return because advice only helps me to be to know something. My feelings are only solved by me. this is why I can be very happy while I should not. I have some skills to remain happy but some people can take it easily because I don't have defensive enzymes if people know me.
I am very kind. And sometimes some woman cry but really you can learn it is a kind of advertisements and achievements affects people life.
Thank you
[Hide Full Comment]This is the first time I have ever seen an absolutely ridiculous article on one of my favorite sites (Daily Good). Just one of the many things in it that made no sense was "People in this heightened ‘happiness overdrive’ mode engage in riskier behaviors and tend to disregard threats, including excessive alcohol consumption, binge eating, sexual promiscuity, and drug use."
People who are happy do not engage in " excessive alcohol consumption, binge eating, sexual promiscuity, and drug use." That type of behavior is what people who are seeking a way to hide from their unhappiness engage in.
I drink no alcoholic beverages, eat a healthy vegetarian diet of 1200 - 1400 calories a day (I'm 4'8"), am celibate and use no recreational drugs. When I have a day that I am feeling down, I simply examine what I am feeling and what is going on in my life and use a variety of spiritual practices to rebalance myself, supplemented with a healthy dose of laughter yoga as needed. No, I am not running around giggling hysterically all day but my normal emotional state ranges between calm contentment to a sense of quiet joyfulness.
My impression of this article is that the studies were done on (if not by) very emotionally unhealthy people and are not at all representative of the type of happiness that is a normal part of the daily life of someone who lives a healthy lifestyle and engages in daily spiritual practices.
Please Daily Good, think twice before posting an article like this again. I think it does a disservice to your readers.
[Hide Full Comment]I found this article confusing and focusing more on 'mania' then anything else. Happiness is a personal thing and most times cannot be 'measured'. I find studies like this (in my personal opinion) to be a waste of time. Any study can be made to say whatever you wish it to say, depending on the outcome you are looking for.
I do agree that to feel 'too much' happiness takes one out of balance. I am more interested in balance, not just 'happiness'.
This is interesting...there is a Russian writer named Vadim Zeland who wrote the "Reality Transurfing" books in which he describes the downside of creating what he calls "excessive potentials" The book is eaoteric in every way, but so much of what he says makes sense and reading this article made me think of his books. At Manifesting Greatness we are always walking that fine line of wanting something but always from a place of knowing it is already there (otherwise we are putting out the vibration of lack, which then is matched by the outer factual world). It is so fascinating how this external outer world is constantly reflecting back to us our inner state of being, the question is are you working to manipulate the outer world by seeking happiness outside yourself, or is the quest one that starts from, and unfolds from, within. The only way "happiness" could possibly be bad for us is because we've forgotten its ultimate source
Thanks for the article, I found it really encouraging! It is good to be reminded that the acceptance of the whole of life is where we find balance. Also, I am reminded of a church seminar I attended a few years ago which was titled 'The Pursuit of Happiness?' The main lesson I got from that seminar was that happiness is not so much a goal, but more a side effect of a balanced and holistically healthy life, of which conciously treating other people as you would like to be treated (aka kindness!), is an integral part. I remember thinking as a child that if everybody looked out for everybody else then everybody would be looked after - I find it hard to argue with my ten year old logic, now I just have to remember to keep my end up in the grown up world, where not everyone plays by that rule!
instead "of pursuing happiness
itself"..i find that acknowledging that i am part of the greater whole of
life and at once and the same a unique being (i am) gives me the courage to believe in my self and my
reason to be “here.” This opens the path of seeking the "genie" the gift we are all born
with that we are wired to share with the world. This whole vision thinking
creates a happy that thrives on the risks taken in “true direction” and opens
our minds to new possibilities as we grow into our “beingness” As this
resonates with "knowing" - a thought
emotion convergence zone nestled physically in the core - you know it when you
feel it!! Getting past our cultural boundaries is the hardest part; the old
beliefs are always ready to pull one under. Acknowledge and look for solutions that are beyond the "down"
As you bring your gift forward, your strength and happiness expand, it is so worth it! Then be grateful…thank the universe for the dance!
Just experiment, see what unfolds.
[Hide Full Comment]Maybe I'm not seeing what the definition of happiness is in this article? I consider myself happy, most of the time. And I equate that with being content with my life. I trust people until I am proven wrong, I try to see good in everyone, and sometimes that is difficult. I also try not to judge and criticize, and sometimes that's pretty difficult too! But all in all, I like my life, and I think I'm pretty happy with it.
This article is poorly thought out and a real disappointment. If there are different kinds of happiness, why save that for point 3? It would make more sense to identify them at the outset and discuss how they may differ and create different challenges. Really, this reads like an off-the-cuff meandering across the topic, not something to be taken seriously.