In my previous post “keys to happiness (PART I)” I already advanced you some of the theories on “happiness”, from one of my favorite authors on this subject, the Harvard professor, doctor in social sciences and columnist for The Atlantic, Arthur C. Brooks. Today we are going to expand a little more on the subject.
As we mentioned in the previous post, Brooks affirms that only 25% of happiness is permanent and is completely under our control, and it can be enhanced with 4 pillars that he calls “happiness habits”; FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP AND WORK, which, in turn, can be enhanced by three “macronutrients” of happiness: ENJOYMENT, SATISFACTION AND PURPOSE.
Brooks explain us that, people who are truly happy about their lives, have all three. And they have them in abundance, and they have them in balance. And people who are out of balance with enjoyment, satisfaction, and purpose tend to define themselves as unhappy. They know that something is wrong with their happiness.
LET’S ANALYZE THESE 3 MACRONUTRIENTS OF HAPPINESS:
- ENJOYMENT: Brooks defines enjoyment as pleasure plus elevation. It’s about having fun. So, think about the things that enjoys you and try to include them into your life.
- SATISFACTION: Satisfaction is the reward when you meet a goal. It’s the reward for a job well done. In this sense, you must stablish goals in the different areas of your life and work to reach them. And when you meet your goals, celebrate them.
- PURPOSE: Brooks explains purpose as the existence of goals and aims. This is the belief that you are alive to do something. Think of purpose as your personal mission statement. It’s about understanding why you are in this world, what are your main goals.
Most of us are interested in raising our level of happiness. But according to scientific research, half of our happiness comes from genetics. And 25% of happiness comes from circumstances. So, only 25% of our overall happiness comes from the 4 pillars of happiness, according to Arthur Brooks: faith, family, friendship, and work.
Pay attention to these 4 areas of your life and EMPOWER THEM WITH THE 3 MACRONUTRIENTS OF HAPPINESS: enjoyment, satisfaction, and purpose. With this in mind, you can increase your happiness.
And I finish with an Arthur Brooks quote that summarizes this last two post: “Happiness isn’t found in some finite checklist of goals that we can diligently complete and then coast. It’s how we live our lives in the process. That’s why the four pillars of happiness are faith, family, community, and meaningful work. Those are priorities we must keep investing in”.
