Are you searching for happiness and coming up empty? Maybe
you’ve just been looking in the wrong places. Here are some
common happiness traps to avoid:
1. Waiting for a windfall:
Maybe you’re hoping for a
fortuitous roll of the dice in Las
Vegas, or are killing yourself at
work so you can afford to put in
a designer kitchen. But if you’re
thinking more money will bring
you joy, think again. There’s a
magic number when it comes to
money and happiness: $75,000
a year. According to economist
Angus Deaton and psychologist
Daniel Kahneman, no dollar
figure above that will lead to
greater satisfaction. So if you’ve
got enough money to care for
yourself and those you love,
it’s time to stop holding out
for a lottery win.
2. Hanging out on Facebook:
As much fun as it seems to read
your old classmate’s vacation
plans, the reality is that passive
hobbies don’t truly make us
content. “Happy people tend to
be more spiritual and engage in
more active leisure — things like
dancing and joining a sports
team,” says Mark Holder,
associate professor at the
University of British Columbia,
Okanagan, who studies the
science of happiness. “And happy
people are less likely to engage in
passive leisure, like being on the
computer or watching TV.”
3. Fighting your age:
When we think of aging, many of
us obsess over deepening crow’s
feet and losing the battle for
firmer thighs. But here’s some
good news about getting older:
Happiness increases with age.
A recent survey of British adults
reveals that women are happiest
at 38 — not, as many might guess,
at the supposed prime age of 19.
And aging is also associated with
improvements in career, relationships
and overall well-being. Wait,
it gets better: A 2010 study found
that levels of stress, anger and
worry all plummet at 50, resulting
in an increase in happiness. So
as the years tick by, embrace the
grey in your hair and hang on to
those rose-coloured glasses!
4. Staying home alone:
How often have you craved some
alone time? While time spent solo
can recharge you, research shows
that happiness comes more often
via “pro-social” behaviour.
“Happy people tend to be energized
by the social world and thrive on
the company of others,” says
Holder. In fact, research shows
being social also leads to long-term
joy — a new study by the
Bank of Montreal found women
have happier retirements than
their male counterparts, thanks
to stronger social connections.
And you don’t need to have
deep tête-à-têtes — even casual
grocery store conversations can
be enough to lift your spirits.
happiness,
mood,
wellness