I often read articles and books about happiness. Recently, I was wasting time doing research on Pinterest and I came across an intriguing idea. The pin led me to Oprah’s website. You can read the original article here. The author, Jenny Blake, suggests creating your own, personalized happiness formula. Could there be a formula for happiness? I’ve never been strong in mathematics, but I understand what a formula is and how it is supposed to work. Could happiness really be that simple? It turns out, not really. It’s not as clear cut as 1+1=2. But there are several formulas out there that proclaim to help increase our happiness levels. So why not at least give them a try?
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The Happiness Formula: Laura Blake Style
It was Laura Blake’s happiness formula that started me on this journey. I found a chart on Pinterest that led me to an article which led me to Amazon to see what Blake had published. I also googled “happiness formula.” That search led me to other happiness formulas and this blog post began. True confession, I like Blake’s formula best.
Blake’s formula is the most complicated of the ones covered here. First, it requires you to make two lists. One is your micro or daily habits that increase your happiness. They typically take 5-20 minutes to accomplish. These might include things such as reading, praying, journaling, going for a walk, stretching/yoga, talking with friends and loved ones, having a good meal, and connecting with family. The other list should have your macro or lifestyle items that increase your happiness. This list would include things such as travel, long-term health and exercise activities, attending cultural or sporting events, getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night, commitment to healthy eating, and living in a healthy, happy environment.
Personalized Happiness Formulas
Once you have your two lists, you’re ready to build your personalized happiness formula. First you take three must-have items from your list. These are things that keep you healthy and balanced. Then pick on boosting item. This is something that gives you an extra burst of energy during your week. Then you subtract a negative thing or barrier to your happiness. This would be something that holds you back (it’s not on one of your lists). The equation will look like this: [(Ritual 1 + Ritual 2 + Ritual 3) x Booster] – Barrier = Daily Happiness.
Specific formulas differ by person. Mine could be [(sleep + creative writing + reading) x exercise] – anxiety = Daily Happiness. Someone else’s might be [(Drawing + early morning creativity + healthy breakfast) X long-distance biking] – junk food = Daily Happiness. The point is you select what works for you and, here’s what I also like, you can adjust it as often as needed. Blake says to think of it as a recipe. You can tweak it to fit your current needs and situation.
You can read more about Blake’s happiness formula in her book: Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One. It’s currently sitting on my nightstand. I picked it up at my local library this week and am excited to get started.
The Happiness Formula: Martin Seligman Style
Martin Seligman introduced his own happiness formula in in the early 00s. In 2002, he published Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment. Seligman is a proponent of positive psychology. His happiness formula looks like this: H (Happiness) = S (your set range) + C (your life circumstances) + V (factors under your voluntary control).
Seligman noted that each person comes with a “set range” of happiness that is more or less genetically built in. Apparently, about 50% of our happiness ability in inborn. It’s genetically determined. Seligman explains that, as humans, we have a default happiness setting. For example, you win the lottery and your happiness levels rise. After a few weeks or months it declines back to your “factory setting.” Or if you lose your job, your happiness levels drop for a time. But, again, they will eventually reset to your default. The default setting is genetically determined and is different for everyone.
Life’s Circumstances
Our life circumstances can affect our happiness, but only to a certain degree. Eight to fifteen percent of our happiness comes from our life circumstances. That’s it! This is why people can still find happiness when faced with difficult times.
The good news is we can often influence and change the circumstances we find ourselves in. Seligman says where we live and who we live with are strong influencers of our happiness. People who live in a country with more personal freedom are happiness than those who live in a more restrictive society. People who are in a strong marriage or who have strong family ties are happier than those who aren’t. Interestingly, Seligman says making more money (once your have enough to be comfortable), gaining lots of higher education, and living in a sunnier environment do not have a large effect on happiness levels. So you don’t need to get rich and move to the Bahamas after you earn your graduate degree.
Voluntary Variables
According to Seligman, about 35-40% of our happiness comes from variables we can control. He breaks these “voluntary variables” into three sections: positive feeling about our past, positive feelings about our future, and positive feelings about our present. Feeling positive about our past requires the ability to let go of things that have hurt us. It also requires a significant amount of gratitude and forgiveness. Seligman’s strategy for feeling positive about our future is to practice actively dismissing and challenging our pessimistic thoughts. When you find yourself thinking something negative, challenge the thought for accuracy. Often, our first thought is negative and we need to challenge them instead of taking them as fact.
Feeling positive about our present means setting aside pleasure seeking and looking for things that gratify or uplift us. For example, eating a cupcake or watching is a pleasure. Learning something new or helping another person provides gratification. Certainly, we can still have our little pleasures, but we are happiness, according to Seligman, if we seek more gratification.
Seligman’s ideas have been met with some criticism. Where do these percentages he offers come from? It’s never been entirely clear. There have been studies that show positive thoughts help with happiness levels, but other studies have contradicted these claims. The idea that money doesn’t bring happiness has also been controversial. For example, when a country experiences recession, the happiness rates of it’s citizens decline. So there is some cause and effect there.
The Happiness Formula: Neil Pasricha Style
Neil Pasricha is a Harvard MBA, a best-selling author, a Walmart executive, and a father and husband. In his book, The Happiness Equation: Want Nothing + Do Anything=Have Everything, Pasricha offers the following formula for happiness: want nothing +do anything = have everything. Seems a bit simplistic, doesn’t it? Pasricha expands the idea with his “9 secrets” which seem counter-intuitive. Some of his secrets are: Success does not lead to happiness and Never take advice. Ultimately, the book attempts to change the way you think about what defines success and happiness. Pasricha believes that true wealth has nothing to do with money, multitasking is a myth, and if you eliminate options you find you have more choices.
The book is highly rated on both Amazon and Goodreads. It does not, however, come without controversy. The biggest criticism is how a Harvard MBA and Walmart executive can tell people that money doesn’t bring happiness. Easy for him to say. did he really graduate from Harvard by wanting nothing? In addition, the book is filled with counter-intuitive ideas that people tend to balk at. But it’s premise is intriguing and I’ve added it to my to-read list.
Can There Really Be A Happiness Formula?
When all is said and done, I don’t believe there is any fool proof formula for happiness. I do believe, however, that each of the happiness equations discussed here offer some benefits. I like Laura Blake’s formula due to it’s personalized approach. Everyone is different, so much of what makes us happy is individualized. What I appreciate about Seligman’s work is that while he acknowledges that some of our happiness levels are inborn, much of our happiness is also based on things we can control. And he gives us tolls to make progress. And Neil Pasricha’s counter-intuitive approach interest me. Thinking outside the box might be a great approach to try. I am looking forward to reading his book in more detail.
Do you think there is any one formula that guarantees happiness? What has worked for you? Thanks for reading and please leave you comments in the section provided below.
