What Does Happiness Look Like Now? - Happiness is Balance

By Mark Kaplan / May 26, 2020

We grew up with fables that ended with people living happily ever after. I thought happiness came when I was worth a million dollars. Happiness always seemed contingent on events. More recently, the Well Being industry has been bent on getting people to work life balance for happiness.

Are we thinking about happiness now? On one side of the ledger we have gratefulness that we are not sick, hopefully happy that our loved ones are not sick, enjoying some entertainment during lock down, and making plans for our future.

On the other side of the ledger we are worried about getting infected, concerned about the future of the economy, and wondering if our cash reserves would get us through a second wave of infection. This side of the ledger seems to have more weight on the see saw.

How Do We Balance Our Happiness and Worry?

We need positives on the happy side of the ledger. We need new daily habits that stimulate happiness brain chemicals which when active, subdue the worry hormones. The happiness brain chemicals are dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins.

Endorphins might be the easiest stimulus. We just have to exercise. Strenuous exercise stimulates more happiness. Exercise on a regular basis flushes inflammation and replenishes with chemicals that make us feel content.

Growth is a sure way to stimulate dopamine and serotonin. Plans to grow or improve our lives or to protect our security will also stimulate dopamine. If we put plans to action and enjoy our progress, we will enjoy serotonin, the good mood hormone.

If we make plans to utilize our skills or knowledge to benefit others, we get a big dose of oxytocin. Our thoughts about caring or protecting others also stimulates oxytocin. The time we are now spending with loved ones or in helping them endure the lock down can have its rewards.

What Can We Do On a Daily Plan for Happiness?

Begin behaviors that improve our opportunities for survival. This is the premise for which Nature created happiness, not just marrying a Prince or Princess. Sustained and regular happiness depend on consistent growth and plans for improvement. Nature’s long run goal for survivors is stronger genes and better adaptability.

What can you learn that will increase your future employment security or opportunities? Looking to expand my useable skills, I am going to take a college course in Retail Management. There are lots of online opportunities to learn. Learning stimulates happiness.

I continue to write and do podcasts. Creativity is the number one skill experts say is needed in the new era. We are facing unknown challenges and the biggest rewards will go to the best problem solvers or innovators. Set aside high energy time each day to think about how to solve the problems you see.

Sharing what you know is very rewarding and stimulates oxytocin. Notice how successful people at the end of their careers begin philanthropy. It stimulates the same level of happiness as achievement. Learning and sharing are two of man’s most important behaviors for survival.

Don’t let worry dominate your waking hours. Create a schedule for improvement in health, learning, creativity, sharing and caring. Soon, you will find the scales tipping back to the happiness level of surviving and thriving.

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