Opinion: The continuing art of being happy

Well, last week’s column was well received, and even a few folks reported that they would like to hear more about the art of being happy. Granted, we in the Texas Panhandle region have a big advantage when it comes to being happy. The big blue sky, pristine air (except when New Mexico or Oklahoma is passing overhead during a windstorm), and our lack of traffic snafus present us with a very high quality life. Additionally, the Western values of our friends and neighbors make for mostly pleasant conversation and social intercourse.

So, without further ado, here we go. Quick thinking is associated with positive feelings. Those of us who pride ourselves on being fast readers and quick witted usually have a more positive mood. In a recent study, published in Psychological Science, it was reported that happiness is more commonly associated with faster cognitive thoughts. While many folks in the Texas panhandle may not be well educated, we are very adept when it comes to adapting to external problems and circumstances. Folks in this area are sharp even though we may talk a little funny.

Job satisfaction can impact our happiness. Several recent studies, including an examination published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology linked happiness with work to overall happiness and life satisfaction. Yet another study conducted by the University of Aberdeen revealed that job fulfillment was ranked as one of the most critical factors to overall well-being and happiness.

Amazingly, there are allegedly over 18 different types of smiles, according to “those who know these things.” These very same scientists have classified expressions that range from an amused smile to an embarrassed smile (which yours truly is good at). Anyway, it doesn’t really matter which smile we see, just seeing smiles makes us happy. So, we need to smile more.

Foods can also make us happier. One of the keys to a quick boost of happiness may lie in our diets. Foods like nuts, chicken, and milk contain higher levels of tryptophan, which can lead to elevated production of serotonin, a chemical that helps induce calm and happiness.

During adulthood, marriage protects against declines in happiness. However, all family structures bring their own joy: Although childless married couples ranked as the happiest in a recent study conducted in the United Kingdom, the survey’s results also revealed that mothers are the most content with life overall – as compared to any other group. So, if you know any single mothers whose children have left home, give me a call? Romance could be in my near future.

On a more positive note (which is the whole point of this column) getting some extra shuteye can help us retain more positive thoughts. In an observation of sleep-deprived college students, one experiment found that the students remembered fewer positive words from a list of words they had previously memorized. It works the other way, too, as a 2013 Cornell study found that a happy outlook on life will get you a better night’s sleep.

Why is the happiest country in Europe? For the second year in a row, Denmark was crowned the earth’s happiest country, according to the United Nation’s World Happiness Report. The U.S., on the other hand, ranked 17th, falling six places from last year’s spot. How can this be? Do we need more guns? Or, do we need to invade some of these happier countries. That will dampen their spirits! Personally, I suspect that our inept Congress must accept some of the blame for this despicable state of affairs. Of course, some of the fault should go to the tea party types, who seem to think they are misunderstood and unfairly maligned.

Practicing gratitude can help us lead a happier life. When we are thankful, we are more likely to be a happier person, according to researchers the University of California, Berkley. Expressing gratitude has also been proven to generate a more optimistic outlook on life, and can even help lower stress.

Pets can make us happier. When we pet our furry friends, oxytocin (better known as the “snuggle hormone”) releases in our brains, making us instantly happier. Oxytocin also helps to reduce stress levels and lower our blood pressure. If our spouses are on the furrier side, petting them can also have the same benefits.

We are happier in the mornings. When the sun rises, so does our mood. A Cornell study found that the brightest periods of the day are when we first get out of bed. Researchers analyzed the tweets of 2.4 million people around the world, and found peaks in positive messages at the start of the day, then the tones grew more negative as the day passed.

Our happiness minimally depends upon external circumstances like owning a house or car. Our happiness rarely depends upon our bank accounts or our physical attractiveness (which is a good thing since I resemble the south end of a north-bound mule), primarily because we adapt to most situations rather quickly. “Ultimately, whether we drive a battered truck or a Lexus to work; whether we have hypertension or asthma, our ability to be happier doesn’t vary much,” according to Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life you Want.

The older we get, the happier we are with ordinary moments. Researchers at Dartmouth College and the University of Pennsylvania surveyed participants on how extraordinary and ordinary experiences contributed to our overall happiness and discovered as we get older, it is the little things that make a difference. No matter the age, extraordinary moments always created a spike in happiness, but older adults were much more satisfied with the simple experiences. Older folks saw these tiny moments as more self-defining than younger folks.

So, don’t worry, be happy.