Happiness at Harvard

A course on happiness is popular at Harvard University according to a recent article. Is it really surprising that a lot of people are interested in happiness?

In retrospect I wish there had been a section on happiness when I was in high school (or even elementary school). What a head start that would have been! I imagine getting some ideas early on about happiness. Standing on the shoulders of those who had previously travelled the path I was to find myself on by my teen years. I'm not talking about a carved-in-stone list of happiness musts. More like a study of what others have found useful. Even just a list of various quotes on the subject would have been better than the nothing I got.

What is particularly frustrating to me now is the lack of awareness of such simple stategies as conscious intention, personal integrity, and introspection as choices more likely to lead to a happier, richer life.

Such information is now readily available under the name (and Harvard course title) of Positive Psychology. Lots of research has been done in the past couple of decades regarding happiness and a lot of what I could have used in my past is now readily available.

Much of what our culture tells us about happiness is just not true. For example, there is only minimal correlation between wealth and happiness, and most predominately during the period when those living in poverty are becoming able to provide for basic needs.

There seems to be a 'happiness set point' that determines the range of happiness we each are able to experience. The key is that we can make choices to enhance our level of happiness, no matter where in the range we normally operate.

I'd love to live in a culture that celebrates happiness. A culture that prides itself on nurturing a happiness not dangled as a carrot dependent on income level or material achievement or consumption.

I say let's shout happiness news from the rooftops! How about including happiness strategies in the daily papers, on cereal boxes, in movie trailers... Now I'm getting a bit silly, but the point I'm trying to make is that the information is out there and much of what we can do to lead richer, happier lives is very simple to grasp. Mostly, we just need to be reminded. I know I do. Let's live happier!