10.) Write down at least 3 things good about each day.
9.) Exercise, and eat right.
8.) Make a list of 20 things you can do that makes you happy. (see You Tube video below)
7.) Make one small goal everyday, then achieve it. (for example; Today I want to mow the lawn, make sure you do it!!)
6.) Try to always do the right thing. Allow yourself to have a clear conscience.
5.) Take some time for yourself.
4.) Recite positive affirmations about yourself. ( For example, "I'm a good person and I deserve good things.")
3.) Surround yourself with other positive people.
2.) Take care of problems when they occur. Don't procrasinate taking care of problems, it only allows them to build up.
1.) Keep moving forward!!!! Don't let things bring you down. Every minute is another chance to make your life better.
The Cognitive Perspective of Happiness
Let’s start out simple. What is the cognitive perspective on happiness? The answer is easy; it is a person’s thoughts and attitudes about being happy.
One’s cognitive view of their life and experiences can determine the emotions they may feel. Some people tend to be more optimistic, while others are more pessimistic. Let’s explore why we need emotions. Emotions are the backbone to our lives. How feel determines the actions we may take in life and those actions determine future consequences and then future emotions. We create the outcomes of our own lives. Happy people are happy because they create their own positive consequences, from their positive actions.
While a person would rather be sun bathing on a beach, than sitting in a classroom, (cough), that day on the beach could only bring temporary happiness. On the other hand, going to school may not always be fun, but will bring more positive events in the future that will lead to longer term happiness and a sense of fulfillment.
(Kathleen McGowan, Psychology today, 2008) “Optimist seems to be sprinkled with fairy dust. They suffer less and recover quicker. They’re healthier and better liked and have stronger marriages and more fun….. Psychologists believe a lot of these qualities stem from cognitive habits that can be learned.” We can train ourselves to be happy. True happiness can not always just come to us; it is something that has to be sought out.
A Social Perspective
The correlations between external Social factors and happiness differs within the individual, as an individuals objective perceptions are prone to have personal subjective interpretations, these subjective interpretations often being culturally influenced. Some of these influences are examined here.
As an example of this, I will mention the methods used by product advertisers. Positive associations with happiness are created by advertisement agencies. As in the case of perfume fragrances for instance, it would not be uncommon to show a woman having just applied a certain fragrance, and then attracting a handsome man. Within the photograph, the perfume bottle takes on the subjective interpretation of attraction. There is nothing wrong with wearing alluring perfumes of course, but is it in the best interest to define attraction so intently with the product? Distorted subjective perceptions may affect our sense of well-being and happiness by misleading ourselves into a false sense of security and comfort created by misplaced associations. This distortion being acted upon may bring with it negative results and consequences. Here again the author of the above mentioned article states that “Causes and stimuli typically do not stand alone; they commonly fit into a sequence.”( Petress, 2008). That unfortunate sequence as demonstrated with the perfume advertisement might consist of possibly buying a expensive product which one might not be able to afford, and then relying on the product instead of ones self, for genuine attraction. The individual’s self-esteem may be exploited by falsely associating it with the virtues of an advertised product.
The effect of events upon an individual’s happiness is further expressed as how “circumstances take on meaning… and exert influence.”(Petress, 2008). Clearly social religious beliefs systems take on meaning as pertaining to human events. This effects how we interpret and react to life’s most profound questions. To the Christian’s system regarding the issue of life after death for example, Belief in the resurrection may supply a sense of wholeness or contentment in the revelation of biblical statements or ideas. Here, the image of Christ’s rising from the dead frees the mortal soul from earthly turmoil and death, releasing them into a spiritual realm of divine companionship with God. “The link between religiosity and subjective well-being is modest, but a number of large- scale surveys suggest that people with heartfelt religious convictions are more likely to be happy” (Argyle, 1999; Ferriss, 2002)
An individual’s perception is subject to, and influenced by social definitions. “Influence implicitly calls for and effects evaluation” states (Petress, 2008), and the results of that evaluation may be the causation of how we perceive, and therefore act upon a situation. Those active responses either correct or not, affect our well-being and happiness.
Happiness From a Learning Perspective
Happiness cannot be generalized to a simple definition. Happiness for one, is different than for others. But, there is something that all people who experience happiness have in common, and that is that happiness, to some extent, is learned. Yes, genetics do play a part in how happy a person can be, but through Operant conditioning, Reinforcers, and Evaluative conditioning, one can see and change how happy they are.
Operant conditioning is “a form of learning in which voluntary responses come to be controlled by their consequences” (Weiten, G-5). Operant conditioning affects happiness by influencing a person’s response. Through Reinforcers or “when an event following a response increases an organisms tendency to make that response” (weiten, 178), people tend to do things that make them happy, and therefore there is an increase in the repetition of a consequence if it has a positive outcome. What psychologists are discovering is that “many of these qualities (happiness) amount to habitual ways of responding to the world- habits that can be learned” (Psychology Today, 2008).
Evaluative conditioning is the “efforts to transfer the emotion attached to an unconditioned stimulus to a new conditioned stimulus” (Weiten, G-3). What? Can that be put in English? Well to state it more simply, it is the shaping of ones attitude, often times without the person even knowing. Advertisers use this form of conditioning to tie a pleasant feeling to their products, a feeling of happiness.
Biological
The article “Climbing toward Health and Happiness”. By Warner, Dale, Prevention, Nov90, vol.42, issue 11. Edited by, Gale Maleskey. Is about not dieting but changing the way people eat to make a happier and healthier life. This article tells a short story about a man who incorporated different eating habits to his daily routine and who has seen the dramatic difference in his life, from being more active out side to a happier life in general. Emily Bryson, Advertising age, 11/12/2007, vol. 28, and issue 45.did an article called “I can’t eat that, I’m on a life style.” Says that “all diets fade over time.” This article supports Dale’s point of view that people don’t need to go on strenuous diets to be happier and healthier. For example, Emily talks about a way of loosing weight, looking better and feeling happier. This article talks about the south beach diet witch is not just any diet, this is and easier way of life, with this all people have to do is eat better throughout their day. (Greeno & wing, 1994; Laitinen, EK, & Sovio, 2002) in the text book say’s that “studies have shown that stress leads to increased eating in a substantial percentage of people, some studies suggest that stress-induced eating may be especially common among chronic dieters.(Heatherton, Striepe, & Wittenberg, (279). In my opinion people don’t have to limit themselves to altering diets to make them feel better and happier but to change their way of eating in other ways. I agree that making changes in ones eating habits, and making time to enjoy the simple things will lead to a happier and healthier life. I now know that happiness can be altered and may depend on eating healthier habits.
!Like Yourself and Others!
Liking ourselves, and others, is very important to our happiness - Liking feels pleasant, and not liking feels unpleasant. We should strive to like ourselves and others more and more, seeing the best in everyone as much as possible. As we do this we will enjoy ourselves more and more. Since we are with ourselves always, it is especially important for us to like ourselves very much.
“The quest for happiness; down through the ages, philosopher and poets, politicians and theologians, friends and strangers have argued about the nature of happiness. They haven’t been able to settle on what happiness is exactly, but that hasn’t kept them from chasing it down. In the end, and the beginning, too, happiness may be a lot easier to experience than to define” (The Wilson Quarterly, 2005).
Group members
Alicia Trombley
Ray Karpicke
Colleen Carroll
Heather LeBlanc
Sources
1.) Kathleen McGowan Psychology Today March/ April 2008 (pages 73-78)
2.) Baumeiser, R.F., Bratslavasky, E., Finkenauer, c., & Vohs, K.D. (2001) Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 5, 323-370
3.) Fredrickson, B.L., & Branigan, C. (2001) Positive emotions In TJ Mayne & GABonanno (eds.) Emotion: Current issues and future directions pp.123-151) New York Guilford
4.) Argyle, M. (1999). Causes and correlatesof happiness. In D. Kaheman, E Diener, & N. Schwartz. (Eds.) Well-being: The foundations of hedonic psychology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
5.) Dulany, Donnelson E ed. (Spring 2008). The American Journal of Psychology. Elizur, D Importance of life domains in different cultural groups, et al. Stanley Hall
6.) Petress, Ken. (2008) A Model for Examining, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Understanding Events, Acts and Utterances. Retrieved April 16, 2008, from Ebsco Host Research Databases.
7.) McGowan, K. (2008, March). Second Nature. (Cover story). Psychology Today, 41(2), 72-79. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from MasterFILE Premier database.
8.) McMahon, D. (2005, Winter). THE QUEST for HAPPINESS. Wilson Quarterly, 29(1),
62-71. Retrieved April 23, 2008, from MasterFILE Premier database.
9.)Weiten,Wayne. Psychology: Themes and Variations, Briefer Edition, Clinton
Community College. (2008).
10.)Warner, Dale, Prevention, Nov90, vol.42, issue 11. Edited by, Gale Maleskey:“Climbing toward Health and Happiness”.
11.)Emily Bryson, Advertising age, 11/12/2007, vol. 28, and issue 45:“I can’t eat that, I’m on a life style.”
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