What makes the human heart sing? - TIMES

[Tomas]

Not exactly a book review, but I found the article enlisted on one of the most prestigious

magazine of all time so interesting I wrote a summary of it. Hope all of you enjoy and find true

happiness in life. ^^

For centuries psychologists around the world had been
concerned with the negative state of human minds and its
devastating illness such as anxiety, depression, neurosis,
obsessions, paranoia, delusions. Their whole intellectual design
was focused on putting people from negative to neutral normal.
Now some psychologists are trying to explore the northern
region of neutral normal; positive state of mind and being.
 
What makes us happy? What triggers that vibrant feeling of
mental health that bring out the best in all of us?
 
 
1) Wealth?
We heard so many times that 'Money can't buy happiness' but
is it true? What did you feel when you could finally afford that
designer cloth that you knew would look perfect on you or the
suave and fancy digital gadget you couldn't wait to try out or
the dream car that you have dreamed of buying since you
started earning money thorugh your boring job? Certainly not
unhappiness! However much to my disbelief according to the
research once your basic needs are met. additional income
does little to raise your sense of satisfaction with life.
 
 
2) A good education? Higher IQ?
Smart people has always been a subject of envy (especially in
Korea). They were awed at and gazed at with fascination from
ordinary crowds with their spectacular brain power. Disclosing
one's IQ score is considered a dangerous risk in Korea unless
it is over 100. Anyway, nope higher education (finishing college
education) and higher IQ does not necessairly leads to
happiness.
 
 
3) Youth?
Fountain of youth has been sought by millions of women(&
occasionally some men) in history and now it seems men are
also joining that eternal yet fruitless race. From fancy cosmetics
ads to cover of various magazines all media yells at crowd to
'STAY YOUNG!' However it has been proven that older people
are more consistently satisfied with their lives than the young
and that their cells are more prone to stress than the younger
people.
 
 
4) Marriage?
Well I'm sure you guys know that lyric of popular song that cries
out 'getting married is always better than being single.' Sorry to
contradict the oath and basic beliefs of all you Singletons out
there but yes, the research does say that married couples were
generally happier than singles, but hey who knows they could
have been happier people to begin with.
 
 
5) Television?
Who could live without this one great inventin of modern
technology? We fulfill all the basic emotions of our lives thorugh
this little (maybe not too little) box of entertainment. Happiness
(when two love of their life in soaps finally meet after long and
boring route of misunderstanding and petty obstacles), sadness
(when handsome or beautiful actor shed their tears we also feel
obliged to shed ours also), and etc. Anyway sorry news for all
you couch potatoes out there but those who watch less
television were found to be much happier than those who watch
television a lot (especially the soaps). Et tu TV?
 
 
6) Religion?
'Forgive me lord for I have sinned.' Ah, one sentence that purge
all evil doings and thoughts I have done in whole week. Yes,
religion do seem genuinly lift the spirit but is it the God part or
the community warmth you feel when you belong to giant
organization which everybody smiles at you?
 
 
7) Friends?
Major YES! Probing on the 10% of the most happy and cheery
people, their strong bonds with famiy and friends turned out to
be a huge dose of happiness in life. Therefore all the time,
energy, and commitment to developing your social skills and
making friends is the best pill to fight off your depression.

Want to lift your level of happiness? Here are some practical suggestions from University of California psychologist Sonjy Lyubomirsky, based on research findings by her and others. Satisfaction (at least a temporary boost) guaranteed!

1. Count your blessings.
One way to do this is with a 'gratitude journal' in which you write down
three to five things for which you are thankful - from the mundane (your
skin is improving) to the magnificent (you got a raise in your job). Do this once a week (everyday is much better of course), say, on Sunday night.
Keep it fresh by varying your entries as much as possible.

2. Practice acts of kindness.
These should be both random (let that harried mom go ahead of you in
the checkout line) and systematic (bring Sunday supper to an elderly
neighbor). Being kind to others, whether friends or strangers, triggers a
cascade of positive effects - it makes you feel generous and capable,
gives you a greater sense of connection with others and wins you
smiles, approval and reciprocated kindness -- all happiness boosters.

3. Savor life's joys.
Pay close attention to momentary pleasures and wonders. Focus on the
sweetness of a ripe strawberry or the warmth of the sun when you step
out from the shade. Some psychologits suggest taking 'mental
photograhps' of pleasurable moments to review in less happy times.

4. Thank a mentor.
If there's someone whom you owe a debt of gratitude for guiding you at
one of life's crossroads, don't wait to express your appreciation - in
detail and, if possible, in person.

5. Learn to forgive.
Let go of anger and resentment by writing a letter of forgiveness to a
person who has hurt or wronged you. Inability to forgive is associated
with persistent rumination or dwelling on revenge, while forgiving bolsters
positive feelings about your past and gives you peace of mind.

6. Invest time and energy in friends and family.
Where you live, how much money you make, you job title and even your
health have surprisingly small effects on your satisfaction with life. The
biggest factor appears to be strong personal relationships.

7. Take care of your body.
Getting plenty of sleep, exercising, stretching, smiling and laughing can
all enhance your mood in the short term. Practiced regularly, they can
help make your daily life more satisfying.


8. Develop strategies for coping with stress and hardships.
There is no avoiding hard times. Religious faith has been shown to help
people cope, but so do the secular beliefs enshrined in axioms like 'This
too shall pass' and 'That which doesn't kill me makes me stronger.' The
trick is that you have to believe them.

How happy are you? Sure, you may think you know, but this little test will help you keep score.
The Satisfaction with Life Scale (or TSLS) was devised in 1980 by University of Illinois
psychologist Edward Diener, a founding father of happiness research. Since then the scale has been used by researchers around the world.

Read the following five statements. Then use 1-to-7 scale (1 being NOT AT ALL TRUE, 4 as
MODERATELY TRUE, and 7 as ABSOLUTELY TRUE) to rate your level of happiness.

Ready? ^^

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1. In most ways my life is close to my ideal.

2. The conditions of my life are excellent.

3. I am satisfied with my life.

4. So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.

5. If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.


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Result :

5 ~ 9 : Extremely dissatisfied
10 ~ 14 : Dissatisfied
15 ~ 19 : Slightly dissatisfied
20 : Neutral
21 ~ 25 : Slightly satisfied
26 ~ 30 : Very satisfied
31 ~ 35 : Extremely satisfied with your life

[Khan]

many thanks Thomas for the good article

[이계선]

khan,, this is so good article! thanks! I desperately need time for my brain!