What Makes Us Happy

and some of my favorites from this past month

I’ve been watching The White Lotus (it’s so good, especially the first season) and reflecting on its themes. One of the strong, obvious messages is that money doesn’t make people happy. Research shows this might not be true. According to recent studies, people tend to be happier the wealthier they are. Past studies showed there’s a point of diminishing return where excess money- beyond having basic needs met and a nice cushion to rely on- resulted in less happiness. I’m not a researcher but my guess is that not worrying about money makes you happy, and beyond that, money is one component of happiness. What are the other components? I decided to do a little investigating.

One of the most important components, according to numerous sources, is having strong relationships. They help us feel supported and keep us from being lonely. One study even stated that being lonely is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes daily.

Photo by Melissa Askew on Unsplash

Meaningful work and activities are another part of being happy. Doing something engaging, that you enjoy, boosts your mood. In his book, “Deep Work,” Cal Newport shares that people think lying in a hammock on vacation will make them happy. The truth is that most people were actually happier when they were solving hard problems.

Having a strong purpose gives us a reason to get up in the mornings. It might be religion, spirituality or an impact you want to make on your community or in the world.

Good health allows us to do all the activities we want to do and feel good while doing them. Healthy people also have a more positive mindset in general due to a lack of stress.

Being grateful changes your mindset if practiced regularly. Grateful people look for the bright side of situations. Their outlook makes them fun to be around so they’re likely less lonely as well.

Time outdoors can be linked to happiness too. It lowers cortisol levels and reduces anxiety. It provides a break from sensory overload many often experience at the office or in front of our screens. People are often more likely to get exercise by walking, running, biking or playing while outdoors, which also boosts happiness.

Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

When I use the term happiness in the paragraphs above, I think I’m really referring to contentment and peace. Most of us don’t want to feel excited and bubbly all the time but we want to feel satisfied with our lives. Peace was my primary goal when I gave up alcohol. I still strive to find that tranquil, calm state every morning when I wake up.

Consider how well you’re doing with each of the happiness components. What could you do to boost your mood? Choose a small goal, try it out and see how you feel. I’d love to hear about your experiment.

If you’re wondering how happy you are, give this self-assessment a try: Psychology Today’s Happiness Test You’re able to get a free snapshot report and have the option of paying for a more detailed report.

What I’m Watching: Like I mentioned earlier, I’m loving The White Lotus. If you haven’t heard, each season is a satire about the staff and guests of an exclusive resort. They’re in Hawaii the first season, Italy the second, and Thailand the third. Lots of good drama and themes to explore. The settings are incredible!

I’m also enjoying The Pitt. It’s a pretty realistic medical drama. Each episode is an hour in a busy Pittsburgh Emergency Room. The plot is great and you can learn so much medical information. It’s excellent.

What I’m Reading: I’m just finishing up, “The Road to Tender Hearts” by Annie Hartnett. It’s a novel about an elderly alcoholic, sensitive man who is named as the guardian of his great niece and nephew- and he’s never met them. He takes these two young children, along with his daughter who doesn’t respect him, across the country to reconnect with his first love after he sees her husband’s obituary in the paper. It’s both serious and hilarious. I highly recommend.

What I’m Listening To: Sharon McMahon, a longtime government and law educator, has a podcast called, “Here’s Where It Gets Interesting.” This is her synopsis of her show: Each week I cover topics from American history and democracy, to how to be a better person on the internet. My guests are authors, experts, and thought leaders who will leave you informed, and inspired. My favorite episode is “That Librarian with Amanda Jones.”

What I’ve Been Reading on Substack: Slow Scottish Stories by Molly Ella is a charming blog about living a simple life. Each post is short and sweet full of good ideas.

The Habit Healers is about developing habits that make you healthier and happier. Dr. Laurie Marbas refers to herself as a habit architect. She believes goals are achieved through habits.

What’s Inspiring Me: I met with a gentleman last week through my poetry work. He shared that he chooses a word of the year at the end of every year. He reflects on all he’s learned and accomplished and chooses a word or short phrase to define it. Some of his words were gratitude, adaptation, optimism and giving back. It was inspiring to hear about his reflective practice and how he retains his life lessons to become a better version of himself.

XOXO,

Geva

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