To achieve happiness and succeed in life is a most welcome happy thought, but appears elusive to many of us. With significant research studies to back it up, science can finally show us how to get there.
True or False, would you be happier if you made more money, found the perfect mate, lost ten pounds, moved to a new house, bought that cool iPhone or got yourself any of those nice little happy things you've been dreaming about? Surprise, surprise. The answer is plain and simple: False!
Happiness is genetic. Dreaming about happy things, having these feelings and working towards attaining them will eventually chart the way for achieving success in life. You can't change how happy you are any more than you can change how tall you are. Success and happiness go hand in hand. To find true happiness will lead to success. Recent scientific research on happiness has proved that happiness is not a goal. It's a process. Our tendency to be happy or not is partly inborn. The way to happiness is within our control. What's even more surprising is that happiness brings success, not the other way around. Though many people think happiness is elusive, scientific research can now unravel the mystery to always being happy.
Many have amassed a certain measure of material possessions and also met their basic needs. There is nothing wrong with materialism. It only gets bad when it's used to replace the other things that really matter, such as family, friends, marriage and meaningful work. It's a proven fact, that those who choose to make money over building meaningful relationships have lower levels of satisfaction in life. Life is short. The way to happiness is through nurturing useful relationships and these eventually lead one to succeed in life.
What is happiness? How does one go about to achieve happiness? The feeling of happiness is not just about feeling good inside. A happy person is more successful, has better relationships, is healthier and lives longer. In addition to this, a happy person is more productive at work, learns more in school, is more likely to get promoted, more creative and undoubtedly more popular.
Happiness cannot be sustained for long by life's circumstances due to our inherent nature to adapt. For instance, getting a new job, a promotion or even moving to a new house feels great at first. The feeling of happiness fizzles out almost in the wink of an eye once we get used to them. A classic example is the fact that one year down the road after striking it rich, lottery winners were found to be less happy than those in control groups. Sustaining that "feel-good" experience of success is determined by how you choose to act and think. Researchers recommend a few strategies to have a positive mind in search of happiness. They are simple yet little known steps that will almost guarantee a lifetime of happiness. Some of these simple strategies include showing gratitude, practicing forgiveness, savoring positive moments and getting more involved in social activities. Not every strategy will work. You need to try a few to find out which ones work best for you.
So what is the definition of happiness? It is a combination of frequent positive emotions and the sense that life is good. Happiness is not about getting everything right. "If I get the right job, the right car, the perfect mate, then I'll be happy". That is far from the truth. The moment your basic needs are met, the effects of income on happiness get smaller. This is because the long way to happy living is all about how you view the world. If your only goal in life is dreaming about nothing but personal happiness, then you'll never achieve it. If you want to be happy, pursue something else. Success and happiness will soon catch up with you. Happiness is largely up to the individual. However, what's going on around you, particularly your personal freedom plays a major role.
We all want to be happy. Happiness is not a skill taught in school. There are many things to remember about happiness, as well as learning the art of being happy. Hopefully, as more people get to understand happiness and its process, the more they will strive to sustain a lifetime of happiness. Stumbling on happiness and success is a long journey that begins with a change of attitude in your mind. That's the true secret of happiness.
Ted Charles is an IT and Marketing professional with vast experience spanning over 8 years. He is also an avid writer in the field of Self-Improvement, particularly on achieving Happiness and Succeeding in Life.
"The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes. If Success is a Game, here are the rules.
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