What Predicts Happiness in Life - Essay Example

WHAT PREDICT HAPPINESS IN LIFE [Task] WHAT PREDICT HAPPINESS IN LIFE Every person fights to be happy. In fact, human life is about fighting for happiness. We fight to join the best colleges because we believe they give us an upper hand in getting the best jobs. We work extra hours to earn a lot of money because we believe money is an avenue to happiness. Still others get married and have families because they believe there can never be absolute happiness without a family. It is undeniable that happiness is central to human life. People have often resorted to different methods to fulfill the insatiable thirst for happiness. It is, therefore, worth asking what precisely determines happiness. A study by Lyubomirsky showed that human happiness is determined by three distinct factors, genes, life circumstances, and a person’s intentional activities (21). Doctor Lyubomirsky further rated the determinants as, 50% genes, 40% intentional activities, and 10% life circumstances (21). According to Lyubomirsky, the 5-HTT gene releases chemicals into the brain that influence happiness. Further, her research revealed that these genes assist nerve cells in neutralizing serotine, a brain chemical responsible for mood and depression. According to the gene theory, people have no control over what determines their happiness. If you are born without the “happiness” gene, you are bound to remain unhappy all your life. The theory, therefore, gives no hope to persons with no 5-HTT genes. A further research by Musgrave showed that genes affect our perceptions (15). Since perception influence how happy one becomes, genes, therefore, directly affect happiness. Personality is another factor in this category that determines how happy one can be. Research has proven that those who score high on extraversion, and low on neuroticism tend to be happy. They tend to have fewer stressors in life. Their attitude towards problems is positive and negative things have negligible influence on their happiness. Due to their outlook on life, they will seem to identify only with things that have a positive effect to their mood. The intentional activities, which account for 40% of human happiness as suggested by Lyubomirsky, are numerous. First and most importantly is how we build our social relationships. The common saying, no man is an island, holds water. Meaningful relationships with friends and family determine one’s self worth. How well one is able to deal with social relationships, gives them a sense of control over their lives. This realization makes them happy, as they believe they are in control of what happens to them. Seligman who claims that our feelings of being treasured and wanted by close friends and relatives can change how we think and perceive, supports this idea (37). A feeling of safety especially physical safety is among the predictors of happiness. From Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, safety needs are fundamental needs that should be fulfilled before other needs are achieved (Smoke 139). It is the second need on the hierarchy after physiological needs. When one is facing real or imagined danger, there is usually a feeling of apprehension. The psychological state of one is, therefore, unstable resulting to unhappiness. Among the core conditions of happiness, therefore, is the feeling of physical safety and security. Education level also forms part of the list of happiness predictors. Choosing to pursue higher education like attaining a Doctor of Philosophy, exude a greater degree of self-confidence, which leads to respect from different circles in the society. This respect brings tremendous joy and satisfaction. The mere feeling of recognition is happiness in itself . This is contrary for those who have low academic achievement, as they are not recognized. As a result, the less educated individuals feel less importance and worth to the society. For other people, having a family is a principal determinant of happiness. Well, one cannot deny that there can still be a combination of other factors determining the overall happiness of an individual within a family. Parental attitudes and values are shared factors in a family. As this is, the first setting that children get as they grow up, it is common that these values are inculcated into them at this stage. Persons born in happy families that value human life tend to have a deep appreciation for family values in their adult lives. In the contrary, persons born in troubled families rocked with violence tend to subject their families to the same mistreatment in their adult lives. The family size is also essential. A large family is likely to face financial constrains as every person fights to have their wants fulfilled. The competition for family resources may result to unhappiness. Since smaller families are easier to manage, individuals raised in such families end up happier as compared to those from large families. Achievements in life can also play a significant role in enhancing a person’s happiness. It is immensely satisfying to associate with positive achievement. The society rates success according to how much one has achieved. Life has its own invisible forces that propel people to achieve. Interestingly, success seems to have its own reward system in place to ensure it is sustained. The reward in this case is intrinsic. This is because most successful people enjoy seeing others praise them for their achievements. This in itself is happiness. According to Lyubomirsky’s claim, life circumstances determine a person’s happiness. Life’s slings and arrows impact negatively on happiness. Some of these life’s challenges may take a few years to adapt to, while others may leave a lasting effect in a person’s life. Some of the conspicuous life circumstances that may influence happiness are discussed below. Health is a predictor of happiness. A person’s health is an integral part of his or her emotions. All people desire sound health. The old and young alike take careful measures to maintain their health or improve it. Some go for rigorous exercises while others take measures almost considered absurd to ensure they are healthy. Many diseases have continued to wreck havoc among humans. While others are simple diseases treated with simple medication, others such as cancer, leukemia, and AIDS have proven hard nuts to crack. Any person suffering from any of these terminal diseases is cannot be happy by all standards. According to Donovan, “Health, along with time, is paramount and should be held at the top of our priority list” (1). The role of experiences in influencing happiness cannot be ignored. Past positive emotions such as satisfaction, pride, and contentment make us proud of our past, which increases our chances of being happy today. Present emotions such as joy, calm, and pleasure make us confident, which increases our chances of being happy. On the other hand, future positive emotions such as hope, trust, and optimism give us reasons to face tomorrow boldly (Seligman 41). Accepting how well these three aspects interplay to create overall happiness is vital. This enables a person to take full responsibility of their state. Bitterness about the past affects the present outlook on life and future possibilities of any improvement. It is, therefore, vital to plough over past bitterness and move on with life. Worst still, past bitter or disappointing experiences can completely render us incapable of venturing into new areas or businesses. This is because of the fear of a repeat of the ordeal. It is, therefore, prudent to face our fears and not let them act as drawbacks. Gender is another factor that influences happiness. Gender is a psychological status that is created by the society. Societal correctness is, hence, a vital ingredient to happiness as one behaves per the prescribed code of conduct in relation to their gender. A man performing feminine roles is likely to be unhappy as compared to when performing masculine roles (Ganesamurthy 296). Lastly, the role of culture in determining happiness’s cannot be ignored. Culture determines the extent of freedom one can have, and the autonomy one can enjoy (Ganesamurthy 37). Collectivist cultures value common experiences unlike individualistic cultures that value individual achievements. Autonomy can be an enemy to collectivist society, which in some sense undermines individual freedom. This would be a source of distress to individualistic societies. Individualistic societies greatly value personal independence and achievement. Collectivist society value societal security this is secondary to the happiness of a member of an individualistic society. This research has proven crucial to me. In my pursuit of happiness, all the people I consulted said the same thing. That being happy required stepping away from ourselves and creating happiness in others without expecting payback or recognition. People are unique, and each person should strive to achieve happiness without any interference. Human happiness is influenced by several factors, some of which are beyond human control. After realizing this through this research, it is high time that I adopted a new approach to seeking happiness. Since I have no control over my genes, my principal objective is to control my intentional activities, which account for not less that 40% of determinants of human happiness. As such, having good social relationships, acquiring a higher level of education, and avoiding dark memories of the past, which only blur my vision of the future, are my top priorities. Works Cited Donovan, Sean. Health and Happiness: An Owners Manual for the Mind and Body. S.l.: Authorhouse, 2010. Print. Ganesamurthy, V. S. Empowerment of women in India: social, economic, and political. New Delhi: New Century Publications, 2008. Print. Lyubomirsky, Sonja. The how of happiness: a scientific approach to getting the life you want. New York, NY: Penguin Press, 2008. Print. Musgrave, Allan. Common sense, science and scepticism: a historical introduction to the theory of knowledge. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1999.Print. Seligman, Martin E. P. Authentic happiness: using the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment. New York, NY: Free Press, 2002. Print. Smoke, Clinton H. Company Officer. 3rd. Australia: Thomson/Delmar Learning, 2010. Print. Read More