![]() So, consider putting in work to maintain the relationships in your life, and to focus on spending time with positive people. In addition to emotional health, relationships can also affect your physical health, and even your lifespan. Humans are social animals, and we thrive when we have a strong social network and intimate relationships in which we can experience joy, collaboration, help in troubling times, and physical contact. If you tend to your lose yourself in a certain (healthy) activity, try to do it more often. Other research shows that flow states release neurochemicals, including dopamine, that boost our performance and elicit positive emotions. Studies suggest that flow states downregulate the prefrontal cortex, which is the area of the brain responsible for self-conscious reflection, and encourage other parts of the brain to communicate with each other in novel ways. You’ve probably heard this concept referred to as “flow”. Studies suggest that giving thanks-such as by praying, writing in a journal or writing a thank-you note-immediately increases individuals’ happiness because it reframes your focus on what you have as opposed to what you think you lack.Įngagement means immersing yourself in a goal-oriented activity to the point where you lose track of time and even a sense of self. But one of the most effective ways to boost positive emotions is a bit less obvious: expressing gratitude. You can increase positive emotions in simple ways, such as by setting aside time to do things you enjoy, savoring simple pleasures, and meditating regularly-specifically through loving-kindness meditation. One strategy is the PERMA model, developed by positive psychologist Martin Seligman. Rather, you might consider more active approaches that, although they require effort, are most likely to lead to lasting increases in happiness. But positive psychology doesn’t simply advocate sitting around and reminiscing about good memories, or imagining ideal scenarios (though these can’t hurt). So, you’re not necessarily “fixed” to a hedonic set point, but lifting that happiness bar takes some effort.Ĭultivating positive thoughts and emotions can help you function optimally. In recent years, studies have found that some people were able to boost their baseline happiness levels by up to two standard deviations or more. So, can we escape the hedonic treadmill, or are we forever bound to our hedonic set points? Positive psychology, true to its name, offers hope. Eventually, you adapt and return to baseline. But the hedonic treadmill theory points out that as certain factors in your life change, so do your expectations. You might think that something like winning tons of money would increase your happiness for good. For example, even after we experience life-changing events, like winning the lottery or becoming paralyzed, we generally return to our unique baseline happiness level. What’s interesting about the hedonic set point is that we generally return to it no matter what happens to us. Psychologists refer to this baseline happiness level as your hedonic set point, and studies on twins suggest that genetics are as much as 50 percent responsible for whether you lean toward merry or gloomy-or slightly above neutral, as most people do. Are you prone to view life as glass-half-empty? If so, don’t let it drag you down: Your day-to-day happiness level is something that was, in large part, set early in life.
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