How to Find Happiness: Using Positive Psychology to Create a Happy Life

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How to Find Happiness: Using Positive Psychology to Create a Happy Life

We all want to know how to find happiness, and we find ourselves constantly bombarded with answers.

Philosophy, religion, psychology, self-help, and popular culture - everywhere you turn people offer answers.

Some answers on how to find happiness seem profound; some seem quick and trite, such as "Buy this laundry detergent and you'll be happier forever!!!!"

Throughout my life, I've wrestled with many of these answers to see which may be the best guide. I actually wrote my college honors thesis on "Aristotle's Understanding of The Good Life." I have moved on from Aristotle, but since then I have spent a great deal of time combing various texts for other prescriptions for happiness.

For the results of these wanderings, please see my articles on positive psychology, character strengths, gratitude journaling, the recipe for happiness, money and happiness, quality of research, and the pages on spirituality.

After reflecting on the study of happiness, here's my "two cents" on the steps to finding happiness in your life.

Enjoy.

Part I - Study the Research On Happiness
As I mention elsewhere on this site, the study of happiness has long belonged to philosophers and religious institutions; only recently has science turned to focus on how to find happiness. The quickly growing field of positive psychology brings empirical science to understand human happiness, thriving, flow, joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment.

As the saying goes, "If you want to be wealthy, study wealth. If you want to be happy, study happiness."

To learn more, be sure to check out my pages on positive psychology, the recipe for happiness using positive psychology research, money and happiness, and quality of life research.

Also, I highly recommend Dr. Martin Seligman's book, Authentic Happiness, which surveys the research in the field.

In addition, if you are so inclined, I always recommend diving into whatever sacred texts resonate with you. They all contain timeless wisdom.

Part II - Follow the Recipe
On my page called The Recipe for Happiness, I distill a lot of the findings from positive psychology into concrete, actionable suggestions for your life. I recommend reading through the entire page, but here are the highlights:

Socializing and building strong relationships
Connecting with a higher purpose (spirituality, religion)
Finding meaningful work
Cultivating positive emotions
Engaging in activities that call upon your signature strengths
Exercising and building feelings of well-being

Research pretty clearly identifies the things we can do to improve our happiness, but implementing them can be challenging. For this you need Part III.

Part III - Weave Your Happiness
Every now and then you meet people who are just naturally happy and simply glide through life. For the rest of us mere mortals, however, we have to work at it.

By work I do no mean struggle to climb the ladder to make money to be happy.

I mean proactively weave a life that builds in the things that make you truly happy - relationships, spirituality, and meaningful work and activities.

The default position for most people, myself included at times, is to rush and rush and leave no time for the important things. However, learning good time management skills can help you systematically build your life around that which matters most. Weave your happiness.

Part IV - Focus On Creating, Not Finding
As you're weaving your happiness, if you focus on finding the perfect job, the perfect relationship, the perfect place to live. . . .you'll search forever and come up empty-handed.

Here's a much better strategy: Try creating. Use your innate, intuitive creativity that all human beings possess to create situations that make you happy.

Don't have the type of organization to meet people you want in your home town? Start it.

Not in a job you like? Begin your own company.

Can't find a house you like? Design your own.

In essence, become an artist of your own life. I don't mean this as a vague philosophic stance. I mean this literally. Literally go create that which you seek. If you seek love, be loving. If you seek humor, try being funny, and so on.

Part V - Learn to Enjoy the Present Moment
If you follow the steps until now but remain focused on the past or the future, you will miss your life. The past is gone and the future is not yet here. The present is all you really have. It is your point of power with life. So learn to enjoy it.

This will probably take care of itself if you're placing primary importance on relationships, a higher purpose, meaningful work, expressing positive emotions, and engaging in activities that bring out the best in yourself.

But, learning the practice of mindfulness and other centering practices (martial arts, yoga) can help as you learn to find joy in the journey of life.

I hope you find these thoughts on how to find happiness helpful. I offer them as recommendations of the best thinking on how to find happiness in the modern world I've come across.

As a next step for investigating how to find happiness, you may want to check out the page on positive psychology, the empirical study of happiness.

Cheers!

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