“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 15:11
“God wants us to be happy.” –The Youth’s Instructor, December 27, 1900. “Our Saviour wants you to keep in close relation to Himself, that He may make you happy.” -The Review and Herald, July 29, 1890
If someone asked you to define happiness, what would you say? We all know how we feel when we are happy, but can it be put into words? Definitions of happiness are many, and most recognize that happiness is not just a positive mood, which can be fleeting, but encompasses so much more. One of the definitions of happiness is as follows: “More than simply a positive mood, happiness is a state of well-being that encompasses living a good life—that is, with a sense of meaning and deep satisfaction.” Happiness is having a worthwhile destination, and making steady progress towards it. It is an experience of joy and contentment, a spiritual experience of living every moment with love, grace, and gratitude. Each person has their own idea as to what their overall happiness looks like; therefore, each person’s happiness will reflect how they perceive their overall wellbeing. Most of us do not need a formal definition of happiness—we know it when it is there in our lives. Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher said about happiness: “Happiness does not consist in pastimes and amusements but in virtuous activities.” “Happiness depends upon ourselves; it is the meaning and purpose in life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”
How important is happiness to people? Most people would say that finding happiness is one of the biggest goals in their life. This is reflected in the number of self-help gurus, promotional speakers, seminars, all focused on “finding happiness.” The pursuit of happiness was even written into the Declaration of Independence of the United States. Some people are able to discover what brings happiness more so than other people. However, human nature makes finding happiness harder than it should be. Often we hear the phrase, “true happiness”. Is this something that is more than just the standard definition of happiness?
How can we achieve happiness? Nowadays, it is not about finding that one book that talks about happiness. If we look in any bookstore, there are hundreds of books, all geared to seeking and finding happiness, and the definitions for happiness vary by the author. Are these books marketed to the poor countries, to war-torn countries, where citizens have had to escape from their homes, and live in displacement camps? No, these books are written for people in developed countries, for those who have adequate food, housing, clothing, employment, and who are not daily in fear for their lives. Why is there so much written about achieving happiness? Is it something that people are not able to find? Is there so much discontentment in this world, that happiness is difficult to find? Are people less happy now than in previous generations? Why is happiness so elusive? If happiness is a concept that many people struggle with, it must be more than a product of what we have; it must be so much more.
The problem is that many are seeking for happiness in the wrong places. Modern society today has an obsession with money, wealth, and possessions. Having more is valued; however people are never satisfied with what they have. There is always something more that they want. They buy the biggest investment they can afford, the biggest house, the most expensive car, vacations, clothing, jewelry, and then they struggle to pay for these all. They want to be the top employee, so they put in long hours at work. And when it comes to their children, no want is ever denied; after all, they want their children also to be happy. And when they achieve a certain level of success, they start to move in social circles with other people who have what they have. Often people define their success in comparison to others. If they have more than the next person, they are satisfied. But, this is a losing battle. There will always be someone who has more.
People also look for happiness in their surroundings. They feel that if they lived in a certain neighbourhood, had a certain type of home, filled with luxury items, they would be happy. Then people use the phrases, “if only” or “when” to state the conditions that they would need to be in to be happy. For example, “if only I had…” or “if only I was with…” or “when I graduate…” or “when I find that person I want to marry…” Expecting that happiness will be achieved when certain conditions are met can lead to great unhappiness when those conditions do not materialize. This also places happiness in some future event, and does not allow happiness to exist in the present.
We are surrounded by advertising that promote products by implying that your life will be more fulfilling if you purchase the product they are trying to sell to you, while also, subtly or not, telling you that if you did not have such and such an item, you would be someone that others would look down on. The pursuit of the “good life” through the practice of what is known as “consumerism” has become one of the dominant global social forces. Consumerism states that “an increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable;” it is also “a preoccupation with and an inclination toward the buying of consumer goods.” The culture prevalent in the world is that you can be happy with “things.” However, repeated studies have established beyond doubt that once basic needs for food and shelter have been met, wealth and possessions have no influence at all on attaining happiness. We see in the news accounts of celebrities, the wealthy, those who appear to have achieved the pinnacle of success, suffer from depression and even commit suicide. Therefore, these symbols of success do not guarantee happiness. In research that looked at lottery winners, the increase in happiness is fleeting; people eventually revert back to their “baseline” happiness, which is more significantly shaped by genetics and personality.
Many feel that happiness is derived when doing something that is considered “fun” such as attending parties, entertainment; people feel they are happy when the experience the “high” brought on by drug use. However, after the fun is over, that rush of positive emotions also disappears.
Then there are those who always look on the negative side of life. Instead of counting their blessings, they focus on their problems. Often this negative attitude is labeled as a mental illness known as a “personality disorder.” Are these people truly sick or just unhappy because they always see life in terms of what it lacks?
How about selfish people, those who are always looking out for themselves, should they not be happy? After all, they recognize what they want and what they need, and they seek to always satisfy that. But, selfishness can never be satisfied; there is always that one thing that a selfish person does not have that they seek for. Selfish people also expect the people in their lives to treat them a certain way, to meet their needs and wants, and when that does not happen, they are miserable.
We find what we look for. Science calls this phenomenon as the brain’s “confirmation bias.” The brain tends to see what it believes to be true, and ignores that which does not confirm this belief. If the brain holds a certain image of what happiness is expected to be, and this is not occur, then happiness can become unattainable. Many people equate happiness to a set of circumstances that are unrealistic, which leads to major disappointment and unhappiness.
In recent years, scientific research has found that positive emotions such as happiness are good for us. They motivate us to pursue important goals and overcome obstacles, they connect us with other people, and they even prevent physical and mental illnesses and ailments. Since the 1990’s, a whole branch of psychology called positive psychology has been dedicated to identifying happiness, how to achieve it, and how to sustain it.
“Those who would find true happiness must have the blessing of Heaven upon all that they possess and all that they do. It is disobedience to God that fills so many
hearts and homes with misery.” –The Advent Home, p. 67
THE HAPPINESS STUDY
Every year, a study is done to determine the happiest countries in the world. Information is gathered from roughly 3000 respondents in each of more than 150 countries, to a number of questions, asking them to evaluate their current lives on a ladder where 0 represents the worst possible life and 10 the best possible. In the most recent study, the top 10 countries were: Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, The Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Sweden. The bottom ten countries were: Haiti, Yemen, South Sudan, Liberia, Guinea, Togo, Rwanda, Syria, Tanzania, and Burundi. The study also found that in many African countries, conditions are improving, but scores were lower based on often delayed and disappointed hopes for happier lives.
Three-quarters of the differences among countries were accounted for by six variables which address different aspects of people’s lives. They include: gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, healthy years of life expectancy, social support (having someone to count on in times of trouble), trust (perceived absence of corruption in government and business), perceived freedom to make life decisions, and generosity (amount of donations). In the example of the United States, we can see the effect of these variables on the country ranking. In the last happiness study, The United States dropped to 19th in the rankings. Income and healthy life expectancy both increased, however the four social variables all deteriorated—the United States showed less social support, less sense of personal freedom, lower donations, and more perceived corruption of government and business.
The interesting finding was that, despite the overall differences in happiness from the top to the bottom counties, 80% of the differences in happiness were found within countries, and even within regions in those countries. What this concludes is that, even in the world’s happiest countries, there are many unhappy people, and in the world’s unhappiest countries, there are many happy people. The effects of social factors in improving the happiness of the lower ranked countries are larger than improvements in GDP per capita and healthy life expectancy. Increasingly, governments see happiness of their citizens as a goal when developing public policies, and as a means to determine how well their country is doing in terms of social progress. Measurements of the well-being of citizens are being used to track the progress of nations.
When looking at richer countries, within-county differences in happiness are not explained by income inequality but by differences in mental health, physical health, and personal relationships, again confirming that happiness is not based on the amount of goods a person has. The biggest single source of misery in developed countries is mental illness. Income differences matter more in poorer countries, but mental illness also is a major source of misery. Work is also a major factor affecting happiness. Unemployment causes a major fall in happiness, and even among those who work, quality of work can cause major differences in happiness.
“Godliness with contentment is great gain. Here is the true secret of happiness, and real prosperity of soul and body.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 542
WHAT DETERMINES HAPPINESS?
Research has determined that 50% of our propensity for happiness is inherited, and it is nearly impossible to modify our genes to boost our level of happiness. However, 40% of our ability to be happy is governed by our own choices, which implies that a significant part of happiness is under our own control. And finally, 10% of our happiness is based on circumstances, on external factors such as income, beauty, ability to purchase luxury items and travel the world. These external factors have the smallest influence on our overall happiness. Therefore, if people stopped blaming others, blaming the world and started looking to themselves as the author of their happiness, then they may find it. Included in the 40% of our level of happiness that we can control are changing our patterns of thinking, of behaving, and ways of reacting to situations, to improve our happiness.
Despite happiness only minimally affected by circumstances, there is a difference in happiness between people in differing circumstances. A recent study looked at the happiness of citizens of the United States. Overall numbers showed that, currently 33% are very happy, 55% pretty happy, 11% are not too happy. Then, the study looked at specific circumstances of the study participants. When looking at the role that work or unemployment has on happiness, those who were retired had highest levels of happiness (38%), next came those who had full time work (33%); the least happy were people who were unemployed (18%). When it comes to the type of job that makes people happy, clergy were at the top of the list. Money can increase happiness because it can provide those comforts that reduce stress, yet rates of happiness have not kept up with the rise in income. With people who made over $150,000 a year, 47% were happy. Of those who made less than $30,000 a year, 23% were happy. Married people are generally happier than unmarried people. Married without children, 41% were happy; when married with children, 36% were happy, and single parents were least happy at 17%. These correlate to the challenges that people face when raising children. Across religions, and consistently over decades, those who attend church are happier than those who don’t attend. 41% of those who attend church weekly are happy, compared to 28% of those who seldom or never attend. When it comes to age, seniors are the happiest among adults (38%), with those aged 18–24 are the least happy (27%). This reflects the pressures that the youth face in school, and then the challenges in finding work, which is often a struggle during today’s economy.
While variables like socio-economic status, income, marriage, education, and religiosity are significantly associated with individual happiness, none typically accounts for more than 3% of the variation in happiness.
Scientists studied 300,000 people, tested their DNA, and their levels of well-being. There was a definite link between one’s genes and feelings. Each of us has differences in our genes that are unlike anyone else’s, that make us unique. These are referred to as gene variants. Scientists found three gene variants associated with happiness; two that accounted for symptoms of depression, and 11 locations on the genes that accounted for neurotic behaviours. Twenty areas were linked to happiness. What was also determined was that environmental factors (including what we eat) can influence how those genes express themselves (genes tell each cell how to function). Certain circumstances in life can cause genes to either be silenced or expressed over time. In other words, they can be turned off (becoming dormant) or turned on (becoming active). Because of differences between individuals in our genes, and their ability to turn off or on, depending on the environment, this study suggests that it is helpful to customize health and education about happiness specific to each individual.
HAPPINESS AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Proverbs 17:22
Not only does happiness improve our outlook on life, and our general sense of wellbeing, happiness also improves our physical health. Studies show that the happiest people have an average heart rate of about six fewer beats per minute. This leads to a lower risk of heart disease and strokes. In a 2010 study, for every one-point increase in positive emotions (on a scale of 1–5), a person’s risk of heart disease drops by 22%. The immune system is stronger in happy people, reducing risk of diseases such as cancer, and infections. Pain levels associated with chronic diseases such as arthritis were less when people experienced positive emotions. Obesity is linked with lower emotional wellbeing; obese people are more likely to experience stress, worry, anger, and depression. The question is—what came first, unhappiness or obesity? They seem to influence each other. Unhappy seniors were twice as likely to die in the next five years than their happier peers. Better moods are linked to a longer life overall.
THE KEY TO TRUE HAPPINESS
If a large part of our happiness is under our own control, we do not need to be dependent on our genes and our environment to ensure happiness. What is the most significant personal choice that we all have the opportunity to make, to ensure that our life is filled with happiness? The Spirit of Prophecy tells us: “If happiness is drawn from outside sources and not from the Divine Fount, it will be a changeable as varying circumstances can make it; but the peace of Christ is a constant and abiding peace. It does not depend on any circumstance in life, on the amount of worldly goods, or the number of earthly friends. Christ is the fountain of living waters, and happiness and peace drawn from Him will never fail, for He is a well-spring of life.” –Faith and Works, p. 88
Next month: HOW DO DIVINE PRINCIPLES CONTRIBUTE TO OUR HAPPINESS?