최근 몇 년 동안, 행복과 같은 긍정적인 감정이 우리에게 얼마나 유익한지를 정확히 보여주는 과학 연구가 폭발적으로 증가했습니다. 우리는 행복이 중요한 목표를 추구하고 장애물을 극복하도록 동기를 부여하고, 스트레스의 영향으로부터 우리를 보호하며, 다른 사람들과 긴밀하게 연결하고, 심지어 신체적, 정신적 질병을 예방한다는 것을 알고 있습니다.
이로 인해 행복은 꽤 유행처럼 번졌습니다. 행복에 대한 과학은 타임 , 오프라 윈프리 , 심지어 이코노미스트 까지 지면을 장식했고, 동기 부여 강연가, 심리 치료사, 그리고 연구 기관들로 이루어진 소규모 산업을 탄생시켰습니다. Greater Good 이라는 웹사이트에는 행복에 관한 약 400개의 글이 실려 있으며, 육아 블로그는 특히 행복한 아이 키우기에 관한 내용을 다룹니다.
분명 행복은 인기 있는 주제입니다. 하지만 행복은 항상 좋은 것일까요? 너무 좋은 기분이 나쁠 수도 있을까요? 연구자들은 이제 막 이러한 질문들을 진지하게 탐구하기 시작했는데, 그럴 만한 이유가 있습니다. 행복의 잠재적인 함정을 인식함으로써 우리는 행복을 더 깊이 이해하고 더 건강하고 균형 잡힌 삶을 증진하는 방법을 배우게 됩니다.
저는 동료인 아이리스 마우스, 마야 타미르와 함께 행복의 어두운 면에 대한 최근 과학 연구들을 검토했고, 이 주제에 대한 자체 연구도 진행했습니다. 이 연구들은 행복이 우리에게 해로울 수 있는 네 가지 측면을 밝혀냈습니다.
1. 행복이 너무 많으면 창의성이 떨어지고 안전도 떨어집니다.
행복은, 너무 강렬하게 경험하면 대가를 치러야 한다는 것이 밝혀졌습니다.
예를 들어, 행복은 우리의 마음을 열어 창의적인 사고를 촉진하고 문제나 퍼즐을 해결하는 데 도움이 된다는 말을 자주 듣습니다. 이는 우리가 적당한 수준의 행복을 경험할 때 그렇습니다. 하지만 마크 앨런 데이비스가 2008년에 기분과 창의성의 관계에 대해 메타 분석한 결과에 따르면, 사람들이 강렬하고 어쩌면 압도적인 수준의 행복을 경험하게 되면 더 이상 이전과 같은 창의력 향상을 경험하지 못합니다. 그리고 조증과 같은 극단적인 경우에는 내면의 창의적 자원을 활용하고 활용하는 능력을 잃게 됩니다. 더욱이 심리학자 바바라 프레드릭슨은 긍정적인 감정이 너무 많고 부정적인 감정이 너무 적으면 새로운 도전에 직면했을 때 사람들이 융통성을 잃게 된다는 사실을 발견했습니다.
과도한 행복은 때때로 우리에게 주는 이점을 상쇄할 뿐만 아니라, 오히려 심리적 해악을 초래할 수도 있습니다. 왜 그럴까요? 그 답은 행복의 목적과 기능에 있을지도 모릅니다. 행복을 느낄 때, 우리는 삶의 흥미진진하고 긍정적인 것들에 관심을 기울여 좋은 기분을 유지하는 데 도움을 받습니다. 행복을 느낄 때, 우리는 또한 덜 억제되고 새로운 가능성을 탐구하고 위험을 감수할 가능성이 더 높아지는 경향이 있습니다.
행복의 이러한 기능을 극한으로 끌어올려 보세요. 주변의 긍정적인 것들에만 집중하고 엄청난 위험을 감수하려는 강한 충동을 가진 사람을 상상해 보세요. 그들은 주변 환경의 경고 신호를 간과하거나 무시하거나, 외적인 신호가 이득을 가져올 가능성이 낮음을 시사하더라도 과감한 도약과 위험한 발걸음을 내딛는 경향이 있습니다.
이처럼 '행복 과열' 상태에 있는 사람들은 더 위험한 행동을 하고 과도한 음주, 폭식, 성적인 문란함, 약물 사용 등의 위협을 무시하는 경향이 있습니다. 1993년 연구에서 심리학자 하워드 S. 프리드먼과 동료들은 부모와 교사가 "매우 쾌활하다"고 평가한 학령기 아동이 성인이 되어서도 사망 위험이 더 높다는 것을 발견했습니다. 이는 아마도 더 많은 위험 감수 행동을 했기 때문일 것입니다.
이러한 모든 결과는 한 가지 결론을 제시합니다. 행복은 적당히 느낄 때 가장 좋다는 것입니다. 너무 적어서도 안 되고, 너무 많아도 안 됩니다.
2. 행복은 모든 상황에 적합한 것은 아닙니다.
우리의 감정은 새로운 상황, 도전, 그리고 기회에 적응하는 데 도움을 줍니다. 분노는 장애물을 극복하도록 우리를 움직이게 하고, 두려움은 위협에 대한 경고를 보내고 투쟁-도피 반응 체계를 활성화하며, 슬픔은 상실을 예고합니다. 이러한 감정들은 우리가 특정한 상황에서 특정한 욕구를 충족할 수 있도록 해줍니다.
행복도 마찬가지입니다. 행복은 우리가 중요한 목표를 추구하고 달성하도록 돕고, 다른 사람들과 협력하도록 격려합니다. 하지만 모든 상황에서 분노나 슬픔을 느끼고 싶어 하지 않듯이, 모든 상황에서 행복을 경험하고 싶어 해서도 안 됩니다.
심리학자 찰스 카버가 주장했듯이, 행복과 같은 긍정적인 감정은 목표 달성의 신호를 보내어 속도를 늦추고, 한 걸음 물러나, 정신적으로 여유를 찾게 합니다. 바로 이 때문에 행복은 경쟁에서 오히려 해로울 수 있습니다. 마야 타미르가 수행한 연구에 따르면, 경쟁적인 컴퓨터 게임을 할 때 행복한 기분을 느끼는 사람들은 화난 기분을 느끼는 사람들보다 성적이 더 나빴습니다.
제 연구실에서는 어린아이가 울고 있는 영화를 보거나 영화 '트레인스포팅' 에서 이완 맥그리거가 역겨운 배설물로 뒤덮인 변기를 파헤치는 장면을 보는 등 부적절한 상황에서 행복을 느낀 사람들은 조울증이라는 정서적 장애를 앓을 위험이 더 높다는 것을 발견했습니다.
조쉬 고스필드/코비스 행복은 때와 장소가 정해져 있습니다. 모든 상황에 적합한 것은 아닙니다!
3. 모든 행복이 당신에게 좋은 것은 아닙니다.
행복은 하나의 용어이지만, 다양한 감정의 무지개를 뜻합니다. 어떤 감정은 우리를 더 활력 있게 만들고, 어떤 감정은 우리를 느리게 만듭니다. 어떤 감정은 우리를 다른 사람과 더 가깝게 느끼게 하고, 어떤 감정은 우리를 더 관대하게 만듭니다.
하지만 모든 유형의 행복이 이러한 이점을 가져다줄까요? 그렇지 않은 것 같습니다. 사실, 다양한 유형의 행복에 대한 더욱 세밀한 분석은 일부 행복이 실제로 기능 장애의 원인이 될 수 있음을 시사합니다.
한 가지 예로, 자부심은 성취감이나 높은 사회적 지위 또는 신분과 관련된 기분 좋은 감정입니다. 따라서 자부심은 종종 우리 자신에게 더욱 집중하게 만드는 긍정적인 감정의 한 유형으로 여겨집니다. 자부심은 어려운 상을 받거나 직장에서 승진하는 것과 같은 특정 상황과 형태에서 유익할 수 있습니다.
하지만 셰리 존슨과 대처 켈트너와 함께 진행한 연구에 따르면, 우리가 과도한 자부심이나 진정한 가치가 없는 자부심을 느낄 때 타인에 대한 공격성, 반사회적 행동, 심지어 조울증과 같은 기분 장애 위험 증가와 같은 부정적인 사회적 결과로 이어질 수 있습니다. 대학원생 힐러리 데블린이 이끄는 제 연구실의 연구는 자부심과 같은 자기중심적인 긍정적 감정이 감정적으로 어려운 시기에 공감하거나 타인의 관점을 받아들이는 능력을 실제로 저해할 수 있다는 흥미로운 가설을 뒷받침합니다.
결론은 이렇습니다. 어떤 종류의 행복은 때때로 주변 사람들과 소통하는 우리의 능력을 방해할 수 있다는 것입니다.
4. 행복을 추구하는 것은 실제로 당신을 불행하게 만들 수 있습니다.
당연하게도 대부분의 사람들은 행복해지고 싶어 합니다. 우리는 행복을 추구하도록 본능적으로 타고난 것 같고, 이는 특히 미국인들에게 더욱 그렇습니다. 심지어 독립 선언서에도 그 사실이 새겨져 있습니다.
하지만 행복을 추구하는 것이 과연 건강한 걸까요? 아이리스 마우스의 획기적인 연구는 행복을 추구하는 것이 실제로는 유익보다 해로움이 더 클 수 있다는 반직관적인 생각을 뒷받침했습니다. 실제로, 사람들은 행복을 더 많이 추구할수록 행복을 얻는 능력이 줄어드는 것처럼 보입니다. 마우스는 사람들이 행복을 위해 더 많이 노력할수록 행복에 대한 높은 기준을 세우고, 그 기준에 도달하지 못하면 실망할 가능성이 더 높다는 것을 보여줍니다. 특히 신나는 노래를 듣거나 긍정적인 영상을 시청하는 것처럼 긍정적인 맥락에서 행복을 느끼는 사람들은 더욱 그렇습니다. 마치 행복을 경험하려고 노력할수록, 심지어 즐거운 상황에서도 진정한 행복을 느끼기가 더 어려워지는 것과 같습니다.
저와 동료들은 행복 추구가 우울증이나 양극성 장애와 같은 심각한 정신 건강 문제와도 관련이 있다는 것을 시사하는 이 연구를 바탕으로 연구를 진행하고 있습니다. 행복을 추구하는 것이 오히려 우리 중 일부를 미치게 만드는 것일지도 모릅니다.
건강한 행복을 찾는 방법은?
하지만 우리는 정확히 어떻게 건강한 행복을 얻을 수 있을까요? 이것이 바로 백만 달러짜리 질문입니다.
첫째, 적절한 양의 행복을 경험하는 것이 중요합니다. 행복이 너무 적으면 너무 많을 때만큼 문제가 됩니다. 둘째, 행복에는 시간과 장소가 있으며, 행복을 경험하는 맥락이나 상황에 주의를 기울여야 합니다. 셋째, 감정의 균형을 맞추는 것이 중요합니다. 슬픔, 분노, 죄책감과 같은 부정적인 감정을 희생하거나 감수하면서 행복을 경험할 수는 없습니다. 이러한 감정들은 모두 정서적 건강을 위한 복잡한 과정의 일부이며, 우리가 더욱 안정적인 관점을 갖도록 도와줍니다. 정서적 균형은 매우 중요합니다.
마지막으로, 올바른 이유로 행복을 추구하고 경험하는 것이 중요합니다. 행복 자체를 목표로 삼는 데 지나치게 집중하는 것은 오히려 자멸적인 결과를 초래할 수 있습니다. 열정적으로 행복을 찾으려 애쓰기보다는, 현재 감정 상태가 어떠하든 그 자체를 받아들이는 자세를 기르도록 노력해야 합니다. 진정한 행복은 타인과 자신에게 친절을 베푸는 데서 오는 것 같습니다.
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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.