Happy for no reason

Ta Ta · September 8, 2008

There was a neat show on PBS tonight about the book : Happiness for no reason by Marci Shimoff.

She says that our happiness is 50 % genetic, 10% circumstance and 40 % Intentional activities.

You can change your happiness scale and train your brain to increase happiness according to neurobiologists, by cultivating positive emotions.

Everyone comes with a certain range of happiness, just like weight for instances. We swing back and forth within that scale.

Chronic stress, anger and bitterness influences the amygdala and cortisol affects the hippothalmus negatively. We stagnate in depression.

You don't have to believe all your complulsive thoughts, but you can retrain your emotions by focusing for 10 min. on the fact that

a thought is just neurochemical energy and electricity your brain creates that will go away while exhaling deeply.

You can smile to influence your negative emotions to happiness.

You can make a shift and let go of negativity to increase happiness.

She said they worked with mothers that have lost their children in Ireland and after the grieving period they gave them the scientific tools to change the "set point " of their internal happiness.

It is important how we react to the circumstances and not advisable to linger on the circumstance itself after the grieving period is over.

Blame turns to anger and anger to depression. If we feel like a helpless victim and we feel we are not capable, not accountable for our own happiness then we will have a narrowed focus and feel like a victim. It is not what happens to us but what we do with it, how we react, what we learn from it.

We are actually giving away our happiness by blaming others.

She says we have to be responsible and pursue ( practise ) happiness to change the neuro chemical makeup in our brain.

This will trickle down to the rest of the body and bring increased immunity and health.

People who aquire more material things to make them happy will not increase lasting happiness.

I take it a step further in the spiritual realm and believe that we may not be always happy but we can have deep joy within

through faith in God.

Very interesting show, I would like to read the book.

Has anyone read it ? We could all use more happiness right ?

Ta Ta · September 8, 2008