Happiness

According to Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein Research:

"The largest contributor to happiness is the genetically determined set point (or more accurately set range). That is to say, people are pre-disposed to a certain level of happiness, which is determined by characteristics inherited from their parents! As Sheldon et al note “ The set point likely reflects immutable interpersonal, temperamental and affective personality traits, such as extraversion, arousability and negative affectivity, that are rooted in neurobiology, ...are highly heritable... and change little over the lifespan.”"

So the amount of happiness in our lives was already determined from the day we were born?!! Jeez. Well, thats nice...At least I have my parents to blame eh? That makes me feel a little happier...

And furthermore...

"The second component of happiness is circumstances. Life circumstances include demographic factors, age, gender, ethnicity and geographic factors. It also includes personal history and life status. Frequently people focus upon the last element of this feature.

However, study after study from psychology shows that money doesn’t equal happiness.

There is an additional problem with changing life circumstances as a path to increasing happiness. It goes by the frightening name of hedonic adaptation. Simply put, hedonic adaptation means we are very good at quickly assimilating our current position, and
then judging it as normal, hence only changes from our “normal” level get noticed."

Rankings and ratings of happiness factors

Item
Family Life Mean rank 1.7 Mean points 37
Friends Mean rank 2.4 Mean points 22
Satisfying job Mean rank 2.5 Mean points 26
High income Mean rank 3.6 Mean points 15
Source: Loewenstein

Hmmm..faschinating Mish Moneypenny. So does this mean that even earning more money or increasing status in society will leave us as miserable as before? You betcha. But why do we do it then? Somebody out there has the answer..give it to meeee!!

And now we come to the conclusion of the study:

"All of which means that any hope for increasing happiness on a long term basis must lie with the third and final component of happiness – intentional activity. Sheldon et al define intentional activity as “discrete actions or practices that people can choose to do”. By process of elimination, intentional activity must account for 40% of people’s happiness.

Intentional activity can be (somewhat artificially) broken down into three areas:
Behavioural activities – such as exercising regularly, having sex, being kind to others, and spending time socialising.
Cognitive activities – such as trying to see the best, pausing to count how lucky one actually is.
Volitional activities – striving for personal goals, devoting effort to meaningful causes. "

So ones lifes happiness is thus: 50% genetic, 10% circumstance, and 40% intentional!

Please note that having sex and exercising are amongst the most powerful ways to increase happiness.

Well...what are we waiting for?!!