If you want to improve your health, start by focusing on the things that bring you happiness. There is scientific evidence that positive emotions can help make your life longer and healthier.. but to produce good health, positive emotions may need to be long term. In other words, thinking positive thoughts for a month when you already have heart disease won’t cure it. But lowering your stress levels over a period of years with a positive outlook and relaxation techniques could well reduce your risk of heart problems.
What won’t make you happy
Some people tend to be poor judges of what will make them happy. While most people say they want to be happy, they often believe in myths or carry assumptions. Here are some widely held myths about what will bring happiness:
- Money and material things. The question of whether money can buy happiness has, for more than 30 years, been addressed by the “Easterlin paradox,” a concept developed by economist Richard Easterlin. His research showed that people in poor countries are happier when their basic necessities are covered. But any money beyond that doesn’t make much difference in happiness level.
- Youth. Being young and physically attractive has little or no bearing on happiness. In a study published by Richard Easterlin in 2006 in the Journal of Economic Psychology, not only did being young fail to contribute to happiness, but adults grew steadily happier as they moved into and through middle age. After that, happiness levels began to decline slowly as health problems and other life problems emerged.
Focus on the things you love doing and you will find time passes without even looking at the clock. Take your thoughts off of yourself and your 'to do' list and think of others. Engage people and learn to do things for others in your life. Take time to unwind, relax and hit up nature to nurture your soul. Walk, swim, hike, surf.. enjoy the outdoors. In no time you'll be feeling great !
