The Secrets to Happiness, According to the Experts
“It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.” ~Dale Carnegie
In my experience as an individual as well as in my practice as a life coach, perception is what it’s all about. Just like Dale Carnegie said, it’s not what you have, who you are or what you’re doing that makes you happy or not – it’s all about what you think about.
With that in mind, I am well-aware that everyone needs to look at things differently in order to truly “get” it, so I’m offering up this roundup of what the experts say are the secrets to happiness.
Each link will take you to a more detailed article that offers that particular author’s (or study’s) take on what it takes to be happy. Check them out, below.
And hey, don’t forget to let me know what you think by leaving a comment below or joining the discussion on our Facebook page.
Why Danish People Are Happier Than Everyone Else – Apparently, it’s all in their DNA! Genetics could be the key to explaining nation’s levels of happiness, according to research from the University of Warwick, where researchers say they have looked at why certain countries top the world happiness rankings. In particular, they have found the closer a nation is to the genetic makeup of Denmark, the happier that country is. The research could help to solve the puzzle of why a country like Denmark so regularly tops the world happiness rankings. Warwick
The Six Keys of Happiness, According to Happy People – What can you learn about being happy from the happiest people on Earth? A lot, apparently. Here are six of their best pieces of advice, according to Time Magazine. TIME
The Secret to Happiness, According to Kids – In the search for happiness, adults are turning to Eckhart Tolle and Joel Osteen and Xanax and Valium and diets and surgery. But we may only have to look to the schoolyard for the remedy. Our survey discovered five reasons kids are grinning ear to ear, and adults would be wise to put down the self-help books and take a lesson on happiness from their children. Check out the link to find out how kids take control of their own happiness and how you can too. Huffington Post
Five Life Lessons for a Happier and More Meaningful Life, According to Harvard Researchers – A group of Harvard researchers recently produced “a comprehensive, flesh-and-blood picture of some of life’s fundamental questions: how we grow and change, what we value as time goes on, and what is likely to make us happy and fulfilled.” The Harvard Grant Study provides an unrivaled glimpse into a subset of humanity, following 268 male Harvard undergraduates from the classes of 1938-1940 (now well into their 90s) for 75 years, collecting data on various aspects of their lives at regular intervals. And the conclusions are universal. The Huffington Post did a fab roundup of the five lessons from the Grant Study to apply to your own pursuit of a happier and more meaningful life. Check them out inside this link.
The Secrets of Happiness, According to Psychological Research – It’s not about how rich you are, and it’s not about how young you are. In fact, happiness is a whole other thing, according to researchers at the National Institute on Aging, who say they’ve found that well-being is “strongly influenced by enduring characteristics of the individual. In a 10-year study, they found that, regardless of whether their marital status, job, or residence had changed, people with a happy disposition in 1973 were still happy in 1983.” This is good news, scientists say. “Given the right disposition, in the face of difficulty, people can still find renewed happiness.” What makes for a happy disposition? Who are these people who stay basically up despite life’s downs? Visit this link to find out the four traits that happy people share. Psychology Today
