What does psychology know about achieving happiness? Don't look for it in money
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"Happiness! What is happiness? A fly is only golden..." If you, like the author of the poem Adolf Heyduk, believe that happiness is something rather fleeting, fragile and difficult to catch, which is easily destroyed, similar to when you win at Sportka, science says the opposite. Although we are partly genetically predisposed to happiness, scientists have found that happiness is more of a way of thinking and acting that can be trained. How can you do that?
Most of us assume that we will be happier when we achieve a certain goal – a better job, a higher income, an ideal relationship, or a more peaceful phase in life. Yet, it often happens that when we achieve these imaginary goals, the feeling of lasting happiness does not appear.
So what exactly is happiness? Psychology defines happiness as subjective wellbeing, which has two components: emotional – frequent experience of positive emotions and less frequent negative ones, and cognitive – overall satisfaction with life. It is not just about being in a good mood, but a long-term assessment of one's own life.
Is it possible to become permanently happier?
Some of our happiness is indeed influenced by genetics and personality traits. Research shows that, for example, more extroverted people tend to be happier on average than people with high levels of neuroticism. But that doesn't mean everything is predetermined.
Scientists have found that a significant part of happiness can be influenced by intentional activities - that is, by what we do and how we think. The "sustainable happiness" model claims that circumstances play a smaller role than we think. What is crucial is the way we think and act every day. This can be strengthened even in people with depression or chronic illness.
Early research that sought to understand how people could improve their happiness levels relied on comparing happy people with their less happy peers. These cross-sectional, or correlational, studies found that happy people were relatively more likely to express gratitude for the good things in their lives , behave more generously toward others, and think more optimistically about their future . In general, researchers found that happy people interpreted information more positively than their less happy peers. Overall, happy people appear to differ from their less happy peers in the way they think and approach their environment.
In addition to the fact that well-being can be improved by making lifestyle changes, such as implementing a new exercise regimen or improving your nutrition... studies suggest that feelings of happiness can be increased by engaging in positive activities, such as performing acts of kindness , being more grateful, or practicing self-compassion .
How can I increase happiness?
Randomized controlled trials show that happiness increases with the regular practice of these targeted activities: practicing gratitude (writing gratitude lists, thank you letters), practicing optimistic thinking, performing acts of kindness, positive affirmations, using your characteristic strengths in new ways, practicing self-compassion, and meditating on loving feelings toward yourself and others.
According to the "positive activity model", they work because they increase positive emotions, support positive thoughts, lead to adaptive behavior, and fulfill basic psychological needs: autonomy, relatedness, and competence. But be careful not to force yourself into the above-mentioned activities without an authentic experience! Scientists warn that if the activity does not trigger these processes, for example, writing thank-you letters without a real feeling of gratitude, the effect will not occur. Sad news? Not quite, even happiness cannot be stamped out of the ground by force. Authenticity of experience is necessary, but even that can be trained to a certain extent, with appropriate practice.
What determines the effectiveness of practice
Happiness is not just a matter of fate or circumstance – it is largely the result of everyday, intentional ways of thinking and acting. To make your efforts effective, try to follow the recommendations of scientists. Research shows several key factors:
1. Motivation and effort
The more a person is truly motivated and involved, the greater the effect the activity has.
2. Variability
Repeating the same activity in the same way over and over again leads to adaptation (we get used to it). Variety maintains freshness and effectiveness.
3. Timing
For example, try counting all the things you are grateful for in your life once a week. This works better than 3 times a week. Similarly, doing multiple acts of kindness in one day can be more effective than spreading them out throughout the week.
4. To make it fit you
The activity must match the person's personality and preferences. An introvert may benefit more from reflective activity (gratitude journaling or self-compassion), an extravert from prosocial (doing good deeds).
Why doesn't money guarantee long-term happiness?
You might be thinking, if you finally win at Sportka, then you will definitely be happy. One of the most common myths is the idea that higher income automatically means higher happiness. Psychology shows that the relationship between money and happiness is relatively weak. The reason is hedonic adaptation – we quickly get used to better conditions and return to our usual level of experience.
Research suggests that if money is to bring greater satisfaction, it works better to spend it on experiences rather than things, or to spend it on other people. Furthermore, experiences often become “stronger” in memory, while material things quickly become commonplace and the joy from them fades.
Can the pursuit of happiness be counterproductive?
Yes. Paradoxically, an excessive fixation on “being happy” can lead to lower satisfaction and even depressive symptoms. Research shows that the optimal level of happiness is not the maximum level of happiness (10 out of 10), but rather a stable predominance of positive emotions over negative ones. Negative emotions have a function in life – they help us respond to problems and learn.
There is a fundamental difference between obsessively monitoring whether we are already happy enough and consciously cultivating meaningful activities, where happiness comes as a side effect.
Modern psychology thus confirms something deeply human: happiness does not arise from dramatic changes, nor is it a golden fly that lands on your shoulder and flies away uncontrollably. It is more about the everyday way of thinking and acting. And this is where we have the greatest scope to influence.
Author: Veronika Veselá